diff --git a/hw/pc_piix.c b/hw/pc_piix.c
index 31c80d273b..7d29d43190 100644
--- a/hw/pc_piix.c
+++ b/hw/pc_piix.c
@@ -230,6 +230,14 @@ static QEMUMachine pc_machine_v0_13 = {
             .driver   = "virtio-9p-pci",
             .property = "vectors",
             .value    = stringify(0),
+        },{
+            .driver   = "VGA",
+            .property = "rombar",
+            .value    = stringify(0),
+        },{
+            .driver   = "vmware-svga",
+            .property = "rombar",
+            .value    = stringify(0),
         },
         { /* end of list */ }
     },
@@ -249,6 +257,14 @@ static QEMUMachine pc_machine_v0_12 = {
             .driver   = "virtio-serial-pci",
             .property = "vectors",
             .value    = stringify(0),
+        },{
+            .driver   = "VGA",
+            .property = "rombar",
+            .value    = stringify(0),
+        },{
+            .driver   = "vmware-svga",
+            .property = "rombar",
+            .value    = stringify(0),
         },
         { /* end of list */ }
     }
diff --git a/hw/vga-pci.c b/hw/vga-pci.c
index b09789cd11..791ca22763 100644
--- a/hw/vga-pci.c
+++ b/hw/vga-pci.c
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@ static int pci_vga_initfn(PCIDevice *dev)
      pci_register_bar(&d->dev, 0, VGA_RAM_SIZE,
                       PCI_BASE_ADDRESS_MEM_PREFETCH, vga_map);
 
+     if (!dev->rom_bar) {
+         /* compatibility with pc-0.13 and older */
+         vga_init_vbe(s);
+     }
+
      return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/vmware_vga.c b/hw/vmware_vga.c
index 9337fdbfef..d0f4e1b5b5 100644
--- a/hw/vmware_vga.c
+++ b/hw/vmware_vga.c
@@ -1301,6 +1301,11 @@ static int pci_vmsvga_initfn(PCIDevice *dev)
 
     vmsvga_init(&s->chip, VGA_RAM_SIZE);
 
+    if (!dev->rom_bar) {
+        /* compatibility with pc-0.13 and older */
+        vga_init_vbe(&s->chip.vga);
+    }
+
     return 0;
 }