diff --git a/virtme/commands/run.py b/virtme/commands/run.py
index 9919352..8210e6e 100644
--- a/virtme/commands/run.py
+++ b/virtme/commands/run.py
@@ -233,6 +233,11 @@ def make_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         action="store_true",
         help='Avoid using the "microvm" QEMU architecture (only on x86_64)',
     )
+    g.add_argument(
+        "--disable-kvm",
+        action="store_true",
+        help='Avoid using hardware virtualization / KVM',
+    )
     g.add_argument(
         "--force-initramfs",
         action="store_true",
@@ -720,7 +725,9 @@ def sanitize_disk_args(func: str, arg: str) -> Tuple[str, str]:
     return name, fn
 
 
-def can_use_kvm():
+def can_use_kvm(args):
+    if args.disable_kvm:
+        return False
     if not os.path.exists("/dev/kvm"):
         return False
     try:
@@ -733,7 +740,7 @@ def can_use_kvm():
 
 
 def can_use_microvm(args):
-    return not args.disable_microvm and not args.numa and args.arch == "x86_64" and can_use_kvm()
+    return not args.disable_microvm and not args.numa and args.arch == "x86_64" and can_use_kvm(args)
 
 
 def has_read_acl(username, file_path):
@@ -963,7 +970,7 @@ def do_it() -> int:
         kernelargs.append("virtme_rw_overlay%d=%s" % (i, d))
 
     # Turn on KVM if available
-    kvm_ok = can_use_kvm()
+    kvm_ok = can_use_kvm(args)
     if is_native and kvm_ok:
         qemuargs.extend(["-machine", "accel=kvm:tcg"])
 
diff --git a/virtme_ng/run.py b/virtme_ng/run.py
index 4672b38..c8fb912 100644
--- a/virtme_ng/run.py
+++ b/virtme_ng/run.py
@@ -235,6 +235,12 @@ def make_parser():
         help='Avoid using the "microvm" QEMU architecture (only on x86_64)',
     )
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--disable-kvm",
+        action="store_true",
+        help='Avoid using hardware virtualization / KVM',
+    )
+
     parser.add_argument(
         "--cwd",
         action="store",
@@ -855,6 +861,12 @@ def _get_virtme_disable_microvm(self, args):
         else:
             self.virtme_param["disable_microvm"] = ""
 
+    def _get_virtme_disable_kvm(self, args):
+        if args.disable_kvm:
+            self.virtme_param["disable_kvm"] = "--disable-kvm"
+        else:
+            self.virtme_param["disable_kvm"] = ""
+
     def _get_virtme_9p(self, args):
         if args.force_9p:
             self.virtme_param["force_9p"] = "--force-9p"
@@ -965,6 +977,7 @@ def run(self, args):
         self._get_virtme_disk(args)
         self._get_virtme_sound(args)
         self._get_virtme_disable_microvm(args)
+        self._get_virtme_disable_kvm(args)
         self._get_virtme_9p(args)
         self._get_virtme_initramfs(args)
         self._get_virtme_graphics(args)
@@ -1000,6 +1013,7 @@ def run(self, args):
             + f'{self.virtme_param["disk"]} '
             + f'{self.virtme_param["sound"]} '
             + f'{self.virtme_param["disable_microvm"]} '
+            + f'{self.virtme_param["disable_kvm"]} '
             + f'{self.virtme_param["force_9p"]} '
             + f'{self.virtme_param["force_initramfs"]} '
             + f'{self.virtme_param["graphics"]} '