diff --git a/src/launch-direct.c b/src/launch-direct.c
index 29ec359c2..559a032c9 100644
--- a/src/launch-direct.c
+++ b/src/launch-direct.c
@@ -388,12 +388,18 @@ launch_direct (guestfs_h *g, void *datav, const char *arg)
     ADD_CMDLINE (
 #ifdef MACHINE_TYPE
                  MACHINE_TYPE ","
+#endif
+#ifdef __aarch64__
+		 "gic-version=host,"
 #endif
                  "accel=kvm:tcg");
   else
     ADD_CMDLINE (
 #ifdef MACHINE_TYPE
                  MACHINE_TYPE ","
+#endif
+#ifdef __aarch64__
+		 "gic-version=host,"
 #endif
                  "accel=tcg");