diff --git a/package/qemu/Config.in b/package/qemu/Config.in
index ff7423bc4c..e16eafe446 100644
--- a/package/qemu/Config.in
+++ b/package/qemu/Config.in
@@ -54,11 +54,27 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM
 	depends on !BR2_STATIC_LIBS # dtc
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_PIXMAN
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_FDT if !BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_CHOOSE_TARGETS
+	# Make sure at least one of tcg or kvm is enabled
+	select BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM_TCG if !BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM_KVM
 	help
 	  Say 'y' to build system emulators/virtualisers.
 
 if BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM_KVM
+	bool "Enable KVM system virtualisation"
+	default y
+	help
+	  Say 'y' here to enable a QEMU with KVM support.
+	  If unsure, say 'y'
+
+config BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM_TCG
+	bool "Enable TCG system emulation"
+	default y
+	help
+	  Say 'y' here to enable QEMU binaries which can emulate foreign
+	  architectures using the TCG JIT.
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_BLOBS
 	bool "Install binary blobs"
 	default y
@@ -130,12 +146,11 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_LINUX_USER
 
 config BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_CHOOSE_TARGETS
 	bool "Select individual emulator targets"
-	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM || BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_LINUX_USER
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM_TCG || BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_LINUX_USER
 	help
-	  By default, all targets (system and/or user, subject to the
-	  corresponding options, above) are built. If you only need a
-	  subset of the emulated targets, say 'y' here and enable at
-	  least one target, below.
+	  By default, all targets system targets are built. If you
+	  only need a subset of the emulated targets, say 'y' here and
+	  enable at least one target, below.
 
 if BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_CHOOSE_TARGETS
 
diff --git a/package/qemu/qemu.mk b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
index 1672ac8f19..97f8e22091 100644
--- a/package/qemu/qemu.mk
+++ b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
@@ -48,6 +48,19 @@ QEMU_VARS = LIBTOOL=$(HOST_DIR)/bin/libtool
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM),y)
 QEMU_DEPENDENCIES += pixman
 QEMU_OPTS += --enable-system
+
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM_KVM), y)
+QEMU_OPTS += --enable-kvm
+else
+QEMU_OPTS += --disable-kvm
+endif
+
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_SYSTEM_TCG), y)
+QEMU_OPTS += --enable-tcg
+else
+QEMU_OPTS += --disable-tcg
+endif
+
 QEMU_TARGET_LIST_$(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_TARGET_AARCH64) += aarch64-softmmu
 QEMU_TARGET_LIST_$(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_TARGET_ALPHA) += alpha-softmmu
 QEMU_TARGET_LIST_$(BR2_PACKAGE_QEMU_TARGET_ARM) += arm-softmmu
@@ -333,7 +346,6 @@ define QEMU_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 			--disable-whpx \
 			--disable-xen \
 			--enable-attr \
-			--enable-kvm \
 			--enable-vhost-net \
 			--disable-download \
 			--disable-hexagon-idef-parser \