diff --git a/pkg/pillar/hypervisor/kvm.go b/pkg/pillar/hypervisor/kvm.go
index 476a8b2fb3..d02e312538 100644
--- a/pkg/pillar/hypervisor/kvm.go
+++ b/pkg/pillar/hypervisor/kvm.go
@@ -372,6 +372,7 @@ const qemuNetTemplate = `
   br = "{{.Bridge}}"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net{{.NetID}}"]
   driver = "{{.Driver}}"
diff --git a/pkg/pillar/hypervisor/kvm_test.go b/pkg/pillar/hypervisor/kvm_test.go
index aeb8e12ab8..099a840aaa 100644
--- a/pkg/pillar/hypervisor/kvm_test.go
+++ b/pkg/pillar/hypervisor/kvm_test.go
@@ -324,6 +324,7 @@ func TestCreateDomConfigOnlyCom1(t *testing.T) {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net0"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -346,6 +347,7 @@ func TestCreateDomConfigOnlyCom1(t *testing.T) {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net1"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -610,6 +612,7 @@ func TestCreateDomConfigOnlyCom1(t *testing.T) {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net0"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -632,6 +635,7 @@ func TestCreateDomConfigOnlyCom1(t *testing.T) {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net1"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -863,6 +867,7 @@ func TestCreateDomConfigOnlyCom1(t *testing.T) {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net0"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -885,6 +890,7 @@ func TestCreateDomConfigOnlyCom1(t *testing.T) {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net1"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -1352,6 +1358,7 @@ func domConfigArm64() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net0"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -1374,6 +1381,7 @@ func domConfigArm64() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net1"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -1649,6 +1657,7 @@ func domConfigAmd64FML() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net0"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -1671,6 +1680,7 @@ func domConfigAmd64FML() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net1"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -1950,6 +1960,7 @@ func domConfigAmd64Legacy() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net0"]
   driver = "e1000"
@@ -1972,6 +1983,7 @@ func domConfigAmd64Legacy() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net1"]
   driver = "e1000"
@@ -2234,6 +2246,7 @@ func domConfigAmd64() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net0"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -2256,6 +2269,7 @@ func domConfigAmd64() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net1"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -2520,6 +2534,7 @@ func domConfigContainerVNC() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net0"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"
@@ -2542,6 +2557,7 @@ func domConfigContainerVNC() string {
   br = "bn0"
   script = "/etc/xen/scripts/qemu-ifup"
   downscript = "no"
+  vhost = "on"
 
 [device "net1"]
   driver = "virtio-net-pci"