diff --git a/meta/classes-recipe/barebox.bbclass b/meta/classes-recipe/barebox.bbclass
index 413a78f18c..200ba08326 100644
--- a/meta/classes-recipe/barebox.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes-recipe/barebox.bbclass
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ EXTRA_OEMAKE = " \
 BAREBOX_CONFIG[doc] = "The barebox kconfig defconfig file. Not used if a file called defconfig is added to the SRC_URI."
 BAREBOX_CONFIG ?= ""
 
+# set sensible default configs for some of oe-core's QEMU MACHINEs
+BAREBOX_CONFIG:qemuarm = "multi_v7_defconfig"
+BAREBOX_CONFIG:qemuarm64 = "multi_v8_defconfig"
+BAREBOX_CONFIG:qemux86-64 = "efi_defconfig"
+
 # prevent from acting as non-buildable provider
 python () {
     bareboxconfig = d.getVar('BAREBOX_CONFIG')
diff --git a/meta/conf/machine/qemuarm.conf b/meta/conf/machine/qemuarm.conf
index 943ce7c16a..af76a53b8e 100644
--- a/meta/conf/machine/qemuarm.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/machine/qemuarm.conf
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ require conf/machine/include/qemu.inc
 
 KERNEL_IMAGETYPE = "zImage"
 
+PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/bootloader ?= "u-boot"
 UBOOT_MACHINE ?= "qemu_arm_defconfig"
 
 SERIAL_CONSOLES ?= "115200;ttyAMA0 115200;hvc0"
diff --git a/meta/conf/machine/qemuarm64.conf b/meta/conf/machine/qemuarm64.conf
index a096d964db..d310445a34 100644
--- a/meta/conf/machine/qemuarm64.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/machine/qemuarm64.conf
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ require conf/machine/include/qemu.inc
 
 KERNEL_IMAGETYPE = "Image"
 
+PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/bootloader ?= "u-boot"
 UBOOT_MACHINE ?= "qemu_arm64_defconfig"
 
 SERIAL_CONSOLES ?= "115200;ttyAMA0 115200;hvc0"
diff --git a/meta/conf/machine/qemux86-64.conf b/meta/conf/machine/qemux86-64.conf
index 14873a3b4f..4a9c6d364b 100644
--- a/meta/conf/machine/qemux86-64.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/machine/qemux86-64.conf
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ DEFAULTTUNE ?= "core2-64"
 require conf/machine/include/x86/tune-x86-64-v3.inc
 require conf/machine/include/x86/qemuboot-x86.inc
 
+PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/bootloader ?= "u-boot"
 UBOOT_MACHINE ?= "qemu-x86_64_defconfig"
 
 KERNEL_IMAGETYPE = "bzImage"