diff --git a/hw/arm/vexpress.c b/hw/arm/vexpress.c
index 3631f4de3a..c02d18ee61 100644
--- a/hw/arm/vexpress.c
+++ b/hw/arm/vexpress.c
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ typedef struct {
 typedef struct {
     MachineState parent;
     bool secure;
+    bool virt;
 } VexpressMachineState;
 
 #define TYPE_VEXPRESS_MACHINE   "vexpress"
@@ -203,7 +204,7 @@ struct VEDBoardInfo {
 };
 
 static void init_cpus(const char *cpu_type, const char *privdev,
-                      hwaddr periphbase, qemu_irq *pic, bool secure)
+                      hwaddr periphbase, qemu_irq *pic, bool secure, bool virt)
 {
     DeviceState *dev;
     SysBusDevice *busdev;
@@ -216,6 +217,11 @@ static void init_cpus(const char *cpu_type, const char *privdev,
         if (!secure) {
             object_property_set_bool(cpuobj, false, "has_el3", NULL);
         }
+        if (!virt) {
+            if (object_property_find(cpuobj, "has_el2", NULL)) {
+                object_property_set_bool(cpuobj, false, "has_el2", NULL);
+            }
+        }
 
         if (object_property_find(cpuobj, "reset-cbar", NULL)) {
             object_property_set_int(cpuobj, periphbase,
@@ -289,7 +295,8 @@ static void a9_daughterboard_init(const VexpressMachineState *vms,
     memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x60000000, ram);
 
     /* 0x1e000000 A9MPCore (SCU) private memory region */
-    init_cpus(cpu_type, TYPE_A9MPCORE_PRIV, 0x1e000000, pic, vms->secure);
+    init_cpus(cpu_type, TYPE_A9MPCORE_PRIV, 0x1e000000, pic,
+              vms->secure, vms->virt);
 
     /* Daughterboard peripherals : 0x10020000 .. 0x20000000 */
 
@@ -370,7 +377,8 @@ static void a15_daughterboard_init(const VexpressMachineState *vms,
     memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x80000000, ram);
 
     /* 0x2c000000 A15MPCore private memory region (GIC) */
-    init_cpus(cpu_type, TYPE_A15MPCORE_PRIV, 0x2c000000, pic, vms->secure);
+    init_cpus(cpu_type, TYPE_A15MPCORE_PRIV, 0x2c000000, pic, vms->secure,
+              vms->virt);
 
     /* A15 daughterboard peripherals: */
 
@@ -724,6 +732,20 @@ static void vexpress_set_secure(Object *obj, bool value, Error **errp)
     vms->secure = value;
 }
 
+static bool vexpress_get_virt(Object *obj, Error **errp)
+{
+    VexpressMachineState *vms = VEXPRESS_MACHINE(obj);
+
+    return vms->virt;
+}
+
+static void vexpress_set_virt(Object *obj, bool value, Error **errp)
+{
+    VexpressMachineState *vms = VEXPRESS_MACHINE(obj);
+
+    vms->virt = value;
+}
+
 static void vexpress_instance_init(Object *obj)
 {
     VexpressMachineState *vms = VEXPRESS_MACHINE(obj);
@@ -738,6 +760,32 @@ static void vexpress_instance_init(Object *obj)
                                     NULL);
 }
 
+static void vexpress_a15_instance_init(Object *obj)
+{
+    VexpressMachineState *vms = VEXPRESS_MACHINE(obj);
+
+    /*
+     * For the vexpress-a15, EL2 is by default enabled if EL3 is,
+     * but can also be specifically set to on or off.
+     */
+    vms->virt = true;
+    object_property_add_bool(obj, "virtualization", vexpress_get_virt,
+                             vexpress_set_virt, NULL);
+    object_property_set_description(obj, "virtualization",
+                                    "Set on/off to enable/disable the ARM "
+                                    "Virtualization Extensions "
+                                    "(defaults to same as 'secure')",
+                                    NULL);
+}
+
+static void vexpress_a9_instance_init(Object *obj)
+{
+    VexpressMachineState *vms = VEXPRESS_MACHINE(obj);
+
+    /* The A9 doesn't have the virt extensions */
+    vms->virt = false;
+}
+
 static void vexpress_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 {
     MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_CLASS(oc);
@@ -784,12 +832,14 @@ static const TypeInfo vexpress_a9_info = {
     .name = TYPE_VEXPRESS_A9_MACHINE,
     .parent = TYPE_VEXPRESS_MACHINE,
     .class_init = vexpress_a9_class_init,
+    .instance_init = vexpress_a9_instance_init,
 };
 
 static const TypeInfo vexpress_a15_info = {
     .name = TYPE_VEXPRESS_A15_MACHINE,
     .parent = TYPE_VEXPRESS_MACHINE,
     .class_init = vexpress_a15_class_init,
+    .instance_init = vexpress_a15_instance_init,
 };
 
 static void vexpress_machine_init(void)