diff --git a/meta/recipes-kernel/linux/linux-yocto_3.4.bb b/meta/recipes-kernel/linux/linux-yocto_3.4.bb
index 7c082e75ad..32ae02b512 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-kernel/linux/linux-yocto_3.4.bb
+++ b/meta/recipes-kernel/linux/linux-yocto_3.4.bb
@@ -27,4 +27,5 @@ KERNEL_REVISION_CHECKING=""
 KERNEL_FEATURES_append = " features/netfilter"
 KERNEL_FEATURES_append_qemux86=" cfg/sound"
 KERNEL_FEATURES_append_qemux86-64=" cfg/sound"
+KERNEL_FEATURES_append_qemux86=" cfg/paravirt_kvm"
 KERNEL_FEATURES_append = " ${@bb.utils.contains("TUNE_FEATURES", "mx32", " cfg/x32", "" ,d)}"
diff --git a/scripts/runqemu b/scripts/runqemu
index a9f513c7a9..e6e43f20c8 100755
--- a/scripts/runqemu
+++ b/scripts/runqemu
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ if [ -z "$MACHINE" ]; then
 fi
 
 YOCTO_KVM_WIKI="https://wiki.yoctoproject.org/wiki/How_to_enable_KVM_for_Poky_qemu"
+YOCTO_PARAVIRT_KVM_WIKI="https://wiki.yoctoproject.org/wiki/Running_an_x86_Yocto_Linux_image_under_QEMU_KVM"
 # Detect KVM configuration
 if [ "x$KVM_ENABLED" = "xyes" ]; then
     if [ -z "$KVM_CAPABLE" ]; then
@@ -226,14 +227,27 @@ if [ "x$KVM_ENABLED" = "xyes" ]; then
         echo "$YOCTO_KVM_WIKI";
         exit 1;
     fi
+    if [ ! -e /dev/vhost-net ]; then
+        echo "Missing virtio net device. Have you inserted vhost-net module?"
+        echo "For further help see"
+        echo "$YOCTO_PARAVIRT_KVM_WIKI";
+        exit 1;
+    fi
     if 9<>/dev/kvm ; then
-        SCRIPT_QEMU_OPT="$SCRIPT_QEMU_OPT -enable-kvm"
+        SCRIPT_QEMU_OPT="$SCRIPT_QEMU_OPT -enable-kvm -cpu host"
+        KVM_ACTIVE="yes"
     else
         echo "You have no rights on /dev/kvm."
         echo "Please change the ownership of this file as described at"
         echo "$YOCTO_KVM_WIKI";
         exit 1;
     fi
+    if [ ! -w /dev/vhost-net -a -r /dev/vhost-net ]; then
+        echo "You have no rights on /dev/vhost-net."
+        echo "Please change the ownership of this file as described at"
+        echo "$YOCTO_PARAVIRT_KVM_WIKI";
+        exit 1;
+    fi
 fi
 
 machine2=`echo $MACHINE | tr 'a-z' 'A-Z' | sed 's/-/_/'`
diff --git a/scripts/runqemu-internal b/scripts/runqemu-internal
index a9b1c44de4..f2c8d8309f 100755
--- a/scripts/runqemu-internal
+++ b/scripts/runqemu-internal
@@ -221,7 +221,15 @@ n2=$(($n1 + 1))
 
 KERNEL_NETWORK_CMD="ip=192.168.7.$n2::192.168.7.$n1:255.255.255.0"
 QEMU_TAP_CMD="-net tap,vlan=0,ifname=$TAP,script=no,downscript=no"
-QEMU_NETWORK_CMD="-net nic,vlan=0 $QEMU_TAP_CMD"
+if [ "$KVM_ACTIVE" = "yes" ]; then
+    QEMU_NETWORK_CMD="-net nic,model=virtio $QEMU_TAP_CMD,vhost=on"
+    DROOT="/dev/vda"
+    ROOTFS_OPTIONS="-drive file=$ROOTFS,if=virtio"
+else
+    QEMU_NETWORK_CMD="-net nic,vlan=0 $QEMU_TAP_CMD"
+    DROOT="/dev/hda"
+    ROOTFS_OPTIONS="-hda $ROOTFS"
+fi
 KERNCMDLINE="mem=$QEMU_MEMORY"
 QEMU_UI_OPTIONS="-show-cursor -usb -usbdevice wacom-tablet"
 
@@ -321,8 +329,8 @@ if [ "$MACHINE" = "qemux86" ]; then
     QEMU=qemu-system-i386
     QEMU_UI_OPTIONS="$QEMU_UI_OPTIONS -vga vmware"
     if [ "$FSTYPE" = "ext2" -o "$FSTYPE" = "ext3" -o "$FSTYPE" = "btrfs" ]; then
-        KERNCMDLINE="vga=0 root=/dev/hda rw mem=$QEMU_MEMORY $KERNEL_NETWORK_CMD"
-        QEMUOPTIONS="$QEMU_NETWORK_CMD -hda $ROOTFS $QEMU_UI_OPTIONS"
+        KERNCMDLINE="vga=0 root=$DROOT rw mem=$QEMU_MEMORY $KERNEL_NETWORK_CMD"
+        QEMUOPTIONS="$QEMU_NETWORK_CMD $ROOTFS_OPTIONS $QEMU_UI_OPTIONS"
     fi
     if [ "$FSTYPE" = "nfs" ]; then
         if [ "$NFS_SERVER" = "192.168.7.1" -a ! -d "$NFS_DIR" ]; then