diff --git a/virtcontainers/qemu.go b/virtcontainers/qemu.go
index 369ff0c1f2..7ece5874e6 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/qemu.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/qemu.go
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func (q *qemu) init(pod *Pod) error {
 
 	q.config = pod.config.HypervisorConfig
 	q.pod = pod
-	q.arch = newQemuArch(q.config.HypervisorMachineType)
+	q.arch = newQemuArch(q.config)
 
 	if err = pod.storage.fetchHypervisorState(pod.id, &q.state); err != nil {
 		q.Logger().Debug("Creating bridges")
diff --git a/virtcontainers/qemu_amd64.go b/virtcontainers/qemu_amd64.go
index 6e978a6523..3fbc5174aa 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/qemu_amd64.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/qemu_amd64.go
@@ -42,10 +42,13 @@ var qemuPaths = map[string]string{
 	QemuQ35:    defaultQemuPath,
 }
 
-var kernelParams = []Param{
+var kernelRootParams = []Param{
 	{"root", "/dev/pmem0p1"},
 	{"rootflags", "dax,data=ordered,errors=remount-ro rw"},
 	{"rootfstype", "ext4"},
+}
+
+var kernelParams = []Param{
 	{"tsc", "reliable"},
 	{"no_timer_check", ""},
 	{"rcupdate.rcu_expedited", "1"},
@@ -83,12 +86,13 @@ func maxQemuVCPUs() uint32 {
 	return uint32(240)
 }
 
-func newQemuArch(machineType string) qemuArch {
+func newQemuArch(config HypervisorConfig) qemuArch {
+	machineType := config.HypervisorMachineType
 	if machineType == "" {
 		machineType = defaultQemuMachineType
 	}
 
-	return &qemuAmd64{
+	q := &qemuAmd64{
 		qemuArchBase{
 			machineType:           machineType,
 			qemuPaths:             qemuPaths,
@@ -98,6 +102,12 @@ func newQemuArch(machineType string) qemuArch {
 			kernelParams:          kernelParams,
 		},
 	}
+
+	if config.ImagePath != "" {
+		q.kernelParams = append(q.kernelParams, kernelRootParams...)
+	}
+
+	return q
 }
 
 func (q *qemuAmd64) capabilities() capabilities {
diff --git a/virtcontainers/qemu_amd64_test.go b/virtcontainers/qemu_amd64_test.go
index c6fa47ddad..89898df4c0 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/qemu_amd64_test.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/qemu_amd64_test.go
@@ -26,21 +26,28 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
+func newTestQemu(machineType string) qemuArch {
+	config := HypervisorConfig{
+		HypervisorMachineType: machineType,
+	}
+	return newQemuArch(config)
+}
+
 func TestQemuAmd64Capabilities(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := assert.New(t)
 
-	amd64 := newQemuArch(QemuPC)
+	amd64 := newTestQemu(QemuPC)
 	caps := amd64.capabilities()
 	assert.True(caps.isBlockDeviceHotplugSupported())
 
-	amd64 = newQemuArch(QemuQ35)
+	amd64 = newTestQemu(QemuQ35)
 	caps = amd64.capabilities()
 	assert.False(caps.isBlockDeviceHotplugSupported())
 }
 
 func TestQemuAmd64Bridges(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := assert.New(t)
-	amd64 := newQemuArch(QemuPC)
+	amd64 := newTestQemu(QemuPC)
 	len := 5
 
 	bridges := amd64.bridges(uint32(len))
@@ -53,7 +60,7 @@ func TestQemuAmd64Bridges(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NotNil(b.Address)
 	}
 
-	amd64 = newQemuArch(QemuQ35)
+	amd64 = newTestQemu(QemuQ35)
 	bridges = amd64.bridges(uint32(len))
 	assert.Len(bridges, len)
 
@@ -64,14 +71,14 @@ func TestQemuAmd64Bridges(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NotNil(b.Address)
 	}
 
-	amd64 = newQemuArch(QemuQ35 + QemuPC)
+	amd64 = newTestQemu(QemuQ35 + QemuPC)
 	bridges = amd64.bridges(uint32(len))
 	assert.Nil(bridges)
 }
 
 func TestQemuAmd64CPUModel(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := assert.New(t)
-	amd64 := newQemuArch(QemuPC)
+	amd64 := newTestQemu(QemuPC)
 
 	expectedOut := defaultCPUModel
 	model := amd64.cpuModel()
@@ -85,7 +92,7 @@ func TestQemuAmd64CPUModel(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestQemuAmd64MemoryTopology(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := assert.New(t)
-	amd64 := newQemuArch(QemuPC)
+	amd64 := newTestQemu(QemuPC)
 	memoryOffset := 1024
 
 	hostMem := uint64(100)
@@ -103,7 +110,7 @@ func TestQemuAmd64MemoryTopology(t *testing.T) {
 func TestQemuAmd64AppendImage(t *testing.T) {
 	var devices []govmmQemu.Device
 	assert := assert.New(t)
-	amd64 := newQemuArch(QemuPC)
+	amd64 := newTestQemu(QemuPC)
 
 	f, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "img")
 	assert.NoError(err)
@@ -135,7 +142,7 @@ func TestQemuAmd64AppendBridges(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := assert.New(t)
 
 	// check PC
-	amd64 := newQemuArch(QemuPC)
+	amd64 := newTestQemu(QemuPC)
 
 	bridges := amd64.bridges(1)
 	assert.Len(bridges, 1)
@@ -156,7 +163,7 @@ func TestQemuAmd64AppendBridges(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(expectedOut, devices)
 
 	// Check Q35
-	amd64 = newQemuArch(QemuQ35)
+	amd64 = newTestQemu(QemuQ35)
 
 	bridges = amd64.bridges(1)
 	assert.Len(bridges, 1)
diff --git a/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64.go b/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64.go
index 620401c97e..52132a3168 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64.go
@@ -38,11 +38,14 @@ var qemuPaths = map[string]string{
 }
 
 var kernelParams = []Param{
-	{"root", "/dev/vda1"},
 	{"console", "ttyAMA0"},
 	{"iommu.passthrough", "0"},
 }
 
+var kernelRootParams = []Param{
+	{"root", "/dev/vda1"},
+}
+
 var supportedQemuMachines = []govmmQemu.Machine{
 	{
 		Type:    QemuVirt,
@@ -55,12 +58,13 @@ func maxQemuVCPUs() uint32 {
 	return uint32(runtime.NumCPU())
 }
 
-func newQemuArch(machineType string) qemuArch {
+func newQemuArch(config HypervisrConfig) qemuArch {
+	machineType := config.HypervisorMachineType
 	if machineType == "" {
 		machineType = defaultQemuMachineType
 	}
 
-	return &qemuArm64{
+	q := &qemuArm64{
 		qemuArchBase{
 			machineType:           machineType,
 			qemuPaths:             qemuPaths,
@@ -70,4 +74,10 @@ func newQemuArch(machineType string) qemuArch {
 			kernelParams:          kernelParams,
 		},
 	}
+
+	if config.ImagePath != "" {
+		q.kernelParams = append(q.kernelParams, kernelRootParams...)
+	}
+
+	return q
 }