diff --git a/hw/riscv/boot.c b/hw/riscv/boot.c
index c7e0e50bd8..df6b4a1fba 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/boot.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/boot.c
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ target_ulong riscv_load_firmware(const char *firmware_filename,
 }
 
 target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
+                               RISCVHartArrayState *harts,
                                target_ulong kernel_start_addr,
                                symbol_fn_t sym_cb)
 {
@@ -192,21 +193,34 @@ target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
     if (load_elf_ram_sym(kernel_filename, NULL, NULL, NULL,
                          NULL, &kernel_load_base, NULL, NULL, 0,
                          EM_RISCV, 1, 0, NULL, true, sym_cb) > 0) {
-        return kernel_load_base;
+        kernel_entry = kernel_load_base;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     if (load_uimage_as(kernel_filename, &kernel_entry, NULL, NULL,
                        NULL, NULL, NULL) > 0) {
-        return kernel_entry;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     if (load_image_targphys_as(kernel_filename, kernel_start_addr,
                                current_machine->ram_size, NULL) > 0) {
-        return kernel_start_addr;
+        kernel_entry = kernel_start_addr;
+        goto out;
     }
 
     error_report("could not load kernel '%s'", kernel_filename);
     exit(1);
+
+out:
+    /*
+     * For 32 bit CPUs 'kernel_entry' can be sign-extended by
+     * load_elf_ram_sym().
+     */
+    if (riscv_is_32bit(harts)) {
+        kernel_entry = extract64(kernel_entry, 0, 32);
+    }
+
+    return kernel_entry;
 }
 
 void riscv_load_initrd(MachineState *machine, uint64_t kernel_entry)
diff --git a/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c b/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
index 2b91e49561..712625d2a4 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/microchip_pfsoc.c
@@ -629,7 +629,8 @@ static void microchip_icicle_kit_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_start_addr = riscv_calc_kernel_start_addr(&s->soc.u_cpus,
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
-        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, kernel_start_addr, NULL);
+        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc.u_cpus,
+                                         kernel_start_addr, NULL);
 
         if (machine->initrd_filename) {
             riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
diff --git a/hw/riscv/opentitan.c b/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
index 353f030d80..7fe4fb5628 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/opentitan.c
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ static void opentitan_board_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     if (machine->kernel_filename) {
-        riscv_load_kernel(machine, memmap[IBEX_DEV_RAM].base, NULL);
+        riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc.cpus,
+                          memmap[IBEX_DEV_RAM].base, NULL);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c b/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
index 3e3f4b0088..1a7d381514 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/sifive_e.c
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ static void sifive_e_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
                           memmap[SIFIVE_E_DEV_MROM].base, &address_space_memory);
 
     if (machine->kernel_filename) {
-        riscv_load_kernel(machine, memmap[SIFIVE_E_DEV_DTIM].base, NULL);
+        riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc.cpus,
+                          memmap[SIFIVE_E_DEV_DTIM].base, NULL);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c b/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
index d3ab7a9cda..71be442a50 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
@@ -598,7 +598,8 @@ static void sifive_u_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_start_addr = riscv_calc_kernel_start_addr(&s->soc.u_cpus,
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
-        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, kernel_start_addr, NULL);
+        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc.u_cpus,
+                                         kernel_start_addr, NULL);
 
         if (machine->initrd_filename) {
             riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
diff --git a/hw/riscv/spike.c b/hw/riscv/spike.c
index cc3f6dac17..1fa91167ab 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/spike.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/spike.c
@@ -305,7 +305,8 @@ static void spike_board_init(MachineState *machine)
         kernel_start_addr = riscv_calc_kernel_start_addr(&s->soc[0],
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
-        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, kernel_start_addr,
+        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc[0],
+                                         kernel_start_addr,
                                          htif_symbol_callback);
 
         if (machine->initrd_filename) {
diff --git a/hw/riscv/virt.c b/hw/riscv/virt.c
index b81081c70b..797c6084b6 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/virt.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/virt.c
@@ -1277,7 +1277,8 @@ static void virt_machine_done(Notifier *notifier, void *data)
         kernel_start_addr = riscv_calc_kernel_start_addr(&s->soc[0],
                                                          firmware_end_addr);
 
-        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, kernel_start_addr, NULL);
+        kernel_entry = riscv_load_kernel(machine, &s->soc[0],
+                                         kernel_start_addr, NULL);
 
         if (machine->initrd_filename) {
             riscv_load_initrd(machine, kernel_entry);
diff --git a/include/hw/riscv/boot.h b/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
index 511390f60e..6295316afb 100644
--- a/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
+++ b/include/hw/riscv/boot.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ target_ulong riscv_load_firmware(const char *firmware_filename,
                                  hwaddr firmware_load_addr,
                                  symbol_fn_t sym_cb);
 target_ulong riscv_load_kernel(MachineState *machine,
+                               RISCVHartArrayState *harts,
                                target_ulong firmware_end_addr,
                                symbol_fn_t sym_cb);
 void riscv_load_initrd(MachineState *machine, uint64_t kernel_entry);