diff --git a/lib/hypervisor/hv_kvm/__init__.py b/lib/hypervisor/hv_kvm/__init__.py
index d0c42c4..e6d3bcf 100644
--- a/lib/hypervisor/hv_kvm/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/hypervisor/hv_kvm/__init__.py
@@ -1061,6 +1061,7 @@ class KVMHypervisor(hv_base.BaseHypervisor):
     pidfile = self._InstancePidFile(instance.name)
     kvm = hvp[constants.HV_KVM_PATH]
     kvm_cmd = [kvm]
+    kvm_cmd.extend(["-enable-kvm"])
     # used just by the vnc server, if enabled
     kvm_cmd.extend(["-name", instance.name])
     kvm_cmd.extend(["-m", instance.beparams[constants.BE_MAXMEM]])