diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 7f1426ed0c..9bdcedc87a 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -346,6 +346,7 @@ fdt=""
 netmap="no"
 sdl=""
 sdlabi=""
+sdl_image=""
 virtfs=""
 mpath=""
 vnc="yes"
@@ -1042,6 +1043,10 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --with-sdlabi=*) sdlabi="$optarg"
   ;;
+  --disable-sdl-image) sdl_image="no"
+  ;;
+  --enable-sdl-image) sdl_image="yes"
+  ;;
   --disable-qom-cast-debug) qom_cast_debug="no"
   ;;
   --enable-qom-cast-debug) qom_cast_debug="yes"
@@ -1704,6 +1709,7 @@ disabled with --disable-FEATURE, default is enabled if available:
   gcrypt          libgcrypt cryptography support
   sdl             SDL UI
   --with-sdlabi     select preferred SDL ABI 1.2 or 2.0
+  sdl_image       SDL Image support for icons
   gtk             gtk UI
   vte             vte support for the gtk UI
   curses          curses UI
@@ -3002,10 +3008,43 @@ EOF
   fi # sdl compile test
 }
 
+sdl_image_probe ()
+{
+    if test "$sdl_image" != "no" ; then
+        if $pkg_config SDL2_image --exists; then
+            if test "$static" = "yes"; then
+                sdl_image_libs=$($pkg_config SDL2_image --libs --static 2>/dev/null)
+            else
+                sdl_image_libs=$($pkg_config SDL2_image --libs 2>/dev/null)
+            fi
+            sdl_image_cflags=$($pkg_config SDL2_image --cflags 2>/dev/null)
+            sdl_image=yes
+
+            sdl_cflags="$sdl_cflags $sdl_image_cflags"
+            sdl_libs="$sdl_libs $sdl_image_libs"
+        else
+            if test "$sdl_image" = "yes" ; then
+                feature_not_found "sdl_image" "Install SDL Image devel"
+            else
+                sdl_image=no
+            fi
+        fi
+    fi
+}
+
 if test "$sdl" != "no" ; then
   sdl_probe
 fi
 
+if test "$sdl" = "yes" ; then
+  sdl_image_probe
+else
+  if test "$sdl_image" = "yes"; then
+    echo "warning: SDL Image requested, but SDL is not available, disabling"
+  fi
+  sdl_image=no
+fi
+
 if test "$sdl" = "yes" ; then
   cat > $TMPC <<EOF
 #include <SDL.h>
@@ -6029,6 +6068,7 @@ if test "$darwin" = "yes" ; then
     echo "Cocoa support     $cocoa"
 fi
 echo "SDL support       $sdl $(echo_version $sdl $sdlversion)"
+echo "SDL image support $sdl_image"
 echo "GTK support       $gtk $(echo_version $gtk $gtk_version)"
 echo "GTK GL support    $gtk_gl"
 echo "VTE support       $vte $(echo_version $vte $vteversion)"
@@ -6368,6 +6408,9 @@ if test "$sdl" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_SDLABI=$sdlabi" >> $config_host_mak
   echo "SDL_CFLAGS=$sdl_cflags" >> $config_host_mak
   echo "SDL_LIBS=$sdl_libs" >> $config_host_mak
+  if test "$sdl_image" = "yes" ; then
+      echo "CONFIG_SDL_IMAGE=y" >> $config_host_mak
+  fi
 fi
 if test "$cocoa" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_COCOA=y" >> $config_host_mak
diff --git a/include/ui/sdl2.h b/include/ui/sdl2.h
index f43eecdbd6..f6db642b65 100644
--- a/include/ui/sdl2.h
+++ b/include/ui/sdl2.h
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 
 #include <SDL.h>
 #include <SDL_syswm.h>
+#ifdef CONFIG_SDL_IMAGE
+# include <SDL_image.h>
+#endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_OPENGL
 # include "ui/egl-helpers.h"
diff --git a/ui/sdl2.c b/ui/sdl2.c
index 4c0d5db473..cde7feba91 100644
--- a/ui/sdl2.c
+++ b/ui/sdl2.c
@@ -764,6 +764,7 @@ static void sdl2_display_init(DisplayState *ds, DisplayOptions *o)
     uint8_t data = 0;
     int i;
     SDL_SysWMinfo info;
+    SDL_Surface *icon = NULL;
 
     assert(o->type == DISPLAY_TYPE_SDL);
 
@@ -835,13 +836,18 @@ static void sdl2_display_init(DisplayState *ds, DisplayOptions *o)
 #endif
     }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SDL_IMAGE
+    icon = IMG_Load(CONFIG_QEMU_ICONDIR "/hicolor/128x128/apps/qemu.png");
+#else
     /* Load a 32x32x4 image. White pixels are transparent. */
-    SDL_Surface *image = SDL_LoadBMP(CONFIG_QEMU_ICONDIR
-                                     "/hicolor/32x32/apps/qemu.bmp");
-    if (image) {
-        uint32_t colorkey = SDL_MapRGB(image->format, 255, 255, 255);
-        SDL_SetColorKey(image, SDL_TRUE, colorkey);
-        SDL_SetWindowIcon(sdl2_console[0].real_window, image);
+    icon = SDL_LoadBMP(CONFIG_QEMU_ICONDIR "/hicolor/32x32/apps/qemu.bmp");
+    if (icon) {
+        uint32_t colorkey = SDL_MapRGB(icon->format, 255, 255, 255);
+        SDL_SetColorKey(icon, SDL_TRUE, colorkey);
+    }
+#endif
+    if (icon) {
+        SDL_SetWindowIcon(sdl2_console[0].real_window, icon);
     }
 
     gui_grab = 0;