diff --git a/target/riscv/kvm/kvm-cpu.c b/target/riscv/kvm/kvm-cpu.c
index 841756ab9b..d7d6fb1af0 100644
--- a/target/riscv/kvm/kvm-cpu.c
+++ b/target/riscv/kvm/kvm-cpu.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
+#include <sys/prctl.h>
 
 #include <linux/kvm.h>
 
@@ -47,6 +48,9 @@
 #include "sysemu/runstate.h"
 #include "hw/riscv/numa.h"
 
+#define PR_RISCV_V_SET_CONTROL            69
+#define PR_RISCV_V_VSTATE_CTRL_ON          2
+
 void riscv_kvm_aplic_request(void *opaque, int irq, int level)
 {
     kvm_set_irq(kvm_state, irq, !!level);
@@ -1496,11 +1500,36 @@ static void kvm_cpu_instance_init(CPUState *cs)
     }
 }
 
+/*
+ * We'll get here via the following path:
+ *
+ * riscv_cpu_realize()
+ *   -> cpu_exec_realizefn()
+ *      -> kvm_cpu_realize() (via accel_cpu_common_realize())
+ */
+static bool kvm_cpu_realize(CPUState *cs, Error **errp)
+{
+    RISCVCPU *cpu = RISCV_CPU(cs);
+    int ret;
+
+    if (riscv_has_ext(&cpu->env, RVV)) {
+        ret = prctl(PR_RISCV_V_SET_CONTROL, PR_RISCV_V_VSTATE_CTRL_ON);
+        if (ret) {
+            error_setg(errp, "Error in prctl PR_RISCV_V_SET_CONTROL, code: %s",
+                       strerrorname_np(errno));
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+   return true;
+}
+
 static void kvm_cpu_accel_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
 {
     AccelCPUClass *acc = ACCEL_CPU_CLASS(oc);
 
     acc->cpu_instance_init = kvm_cpu_instance_init;
+    acc->cpu_target_realize = kvm_cpu_realize;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo kvm_cpu_accel_type_info = {