diff --git a/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-fc.toml.in b/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-fc.toml.in
index 054950d2a9..4e5158f5b2 100644
--- a/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-fc.toml.in
+++ b/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-fc.toml.in
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ default_vcpus = 1
 # `default_maxvcpus = 8` the memory footprint will be small, but 8 will be the maximum number of
 # vCPUs supported by the SB/VM. In general, we recommend that you do not edit this variable,
 # unless you know what are you doing.
+# NOTICE: on arm platform with gicv2 interrupt controller, set it to 8.
 default_maxvcpus = @DEFMAXVCPUS@
 
 # Bridges can be used to hot plug devices.
diff --git a/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-qemu-virtiofs.toml.in b/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-qemu-virtiofs.toml.in
index 129dc9963d..8a220feaae 100644
--- a/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-qemu-virtiofs.toml.in
+++ b/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-qemu-virtiofs.toml.in
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ default_vcpus = 1
 # `default_maxvcpus = 8` the memory footprint will be small, but 8 will be the maximum number of
 # vCPUs supported by the SB/VM. In general, we recommend that you do not edit this variable,
 # unless you know what are you doing.
+# NOTICE: on arm platform with gicv2 interrupt controller, set it to 8.
 default_maxvcpus = @DEFMAXVCPUS@
 
 # Bridges can be used to hot plug devices.
diff --git a/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-qemu.toml.in b/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-qemu.toml.in
index bca733e2ad..7ac6d90988 100644
--- a/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-qemu.toml.in
+++ b/src/runtime/cli/config/configuration-qemu.toml.in
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ default_vcpus = 1
 # `default_maxvcpus = 8` the memory footprint will be small, but 8 will be the maximum number of
 # vCPUs supported by the SB/VM. In general, we recommend that you do not edit this variable,
 # unless you know what are you doing.
+# NOTICE: on arm platform with gicv2 interrupt controller, set it to 8.
 default_maxvcpus = @DEFMAXVCPUS@
 
 # Bridges can be used to hot plug devices.
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64.go
index ed38457711..5b1ca82ce2 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ package virtcontainers
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"runtime"
 	"time"
 
 	govmmQemu "github.com/intel/govmm/qemu"
@@ -27,6 +26,8 @@ const qmpMigrationWaitTimeout = 10 * time.Second
 
 const defaultQemuMachineOptions = "usb=off,accel=kvm,gic-version=host"
 
+var defaultGICVersion = uint32(3)
+
 var kernelParams = []Param{
 	{"console", "hvc0"},
 	{"console", "hvc1"},
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ var gicList = map[uint32]uint32{
 
 // MaxQemuVCPUs returns the maximum number of vCPUs supported
 func MaxQemuVCPUs() uint32 {
-	return uint32(runtime.NumCPU())
+	return gicList[defaultGICVersion]
 }
 
 func newQemuArch(config HypervisorConfig) (qemuArch, error) {
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64_test.go
index eeb6c2ed67..95bffacc26 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_arm64_test.go
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
-	"runtime"
 	"testing"
 
 	govmmQemu "github.com/intel/govmm/qemu"
@@ -59,50 +57,8 @@ func TestQemuArm64MemoryTopology(t *testing.T) {
 func TestMaxQemuVCPUs(t *testing.T) {
 	assert := assert.New(t)
 
-	type testData struct {
-		contents       string
-		expectedResult uint32
-	}
-
-	data := []testData{
-		{"", uint32(runtime.NumCPU())},
-		{"  1:          0          0     GICv2  25 Level     vgic \n", uint32(8)},
-		{"  1:          0          0     GICv3  25 Level     vgic \n", uint32(123)},
-		{"  1:          0          0     GICv4  25 Level     vgic \n", uint32(123)},
-	}
-
-	tmpdir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "")
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpdir)
-
-	savedGicProfile := gicProfile
-
-	testGicProfile := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "interrupts")
-
-	// override
-	gicProfile = testGicProfile
-
-	defer func() {
-		gicProfile = savedGicProfile
-	}()
-
-	savedHostGICVersion := hostGICVersion
-
-	defer func() {
-		hostGICVersion = savedHostGICVersion
-	}()
-
-	for _, d := range data {
-		err := ioutil.WriteFile(gicProfile, []byte(d.contents), os.FileMode(0640))
-		assert.NoError(err)
-
-		hostGICVersion = getHostGICVersion()
-		vCPUs := MaxQemuVCPUs()
-
-		assert.Equal(d.expectedResult, vCPUs)
-	}
+	vCPUs := MaxQemuVCPUs()
+	assert.Equal(uint32(123), vCPUs)
 }
 
 func TestQemuArm64AppendBridges(t *testing.T) {