diff --git a/devicemodel/core/vmmapi.c b/devicemodel/core/vmmapi.c
index 0180280d1..87bd07e47 100644
--- a/devicemodel/core/vmmapi.c
+++ b/devicemodel/core/vmmapi.c
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ vm_create(const char *name, uint64_t req_buf, int *vcpu_num)
 		create_vm.vm_flag |= GUEST_FLAG_LAPIC_PASSTHROUGH;
 		create_vm.vm_flag |= GUEST_FLAG_RT;
 		create_vm.vm_flag |= GUEST_FLAG_IO_COMPLETION_POLLING;
+		create_vm.vm_flag |= GUEST_FLAG_PMU_PASSTHROUGH;
 	} else {
 		create_vm.vm_flag &= (~GUEST_FLAG_LAPIC_PASSTHROUGH);
 		create_vm.vm_flag &= (~GUEST_FLAG_IO_COMPLETION_POLLING);