diff --git a/meta/classes/qemu.bbclass b/meta/classes/qemu.bbclass
index 01a7b86ae1..333202b7c4 100644
--- a/meta/classes/qemu.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/qemu.bbclass
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def qemu_run_binary(data, rootfs_path, binary):
 # this dance). For others (e.g. arm) a -cpu option is not necessary, since the
 # qemu-arm default CPU supports all required architecture levels.
 
-QEMU_OPTIONS = "-r ${OLDEST_KERNEL} ${@d.getVar("QEMU_EXTRAOPTIONS_%s" % d.getVar('PACKAGE_ARCH')) or ""}"
+QEMU_OPTIONS = "${@d.getVar("QEMU_EXTRAOPTIONS_%s" % d.getVar('PACKAGE_ARCH')) or ""}"
 QEMU_OPTIONS[vardeps] += "QEMU_EXTRAOPTIONS_${PACKAGE_ARCH}"
 
 QEMU_EXTRAOPTIONS_ppce500v2 = " -cpu e500v2"