diff --git a/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-clh.toml.in b/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-clh.toml.in
index 00185ea2e4..c9d0f5f086 100644
--- a/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-clh.toml.in
+++ b/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-clh.toml.in
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ virtio_fs_cache_size = @DEFVIRTIOFSCACHESIZE@
 # cloud-hypervisor prefers virtiofs caching (dax) for performance reasons
 virtio_fs_cache = "always"
 
+# Block storage driver to be used for the hypervisor in case the container
+# rootfs is backed by a block device. This is virtio-scsi, virtio-blk
+# or nvdimm.
+block_device_driver = "virtio-blk"
+
 # This option changes the default hypervisor and kernel parameters
 # to enable debug output where available. This extra output is added
 # to the proxy logs, but only when proxy debug is also enabled.
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
index 4ef64f9820..598cba19c4 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
@@ -413,6 +413,11 @@ func (clh *cloudHypervisor) getThreadIDs() (vcpuThreadIDs, error) {
 }
 
 func (clh *cloudHypervisor) hotplugBlockDevice(drive *config.BlockDrive) error {
+	if clh.config.BlockDeviceDriver != config.VirtioBlock {
+		return fmt.Errorf("incorrect hypervisor configuration on 'block_device_driver':"+
+			" using '%v' but only support '%v'", clh.config.BlockDeviceDriver, config.VirtioBlock)
+	}
+
 	cl := clh.client()
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), clhHotPlugAPITimeout*time.Second)
 	defer cancel()