diff --git a/lib/nova b/lib/nova
index 7557a51196..0893ed7084 100644
--- a/lib/nova
+++ b/lib/nova
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ function configure_nova {
                 if [ ! -e /dev/kvm ]; then
                     echo "WARNING: Switching to QEMU"
                     LIBVIRT_TYPE=qemu
+                    LIBVIRT_CPU_MODE=none
                     if which selinuxenabled >/dev/null 2>&1 && selinuxenabled; then
                         # https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=753589
                         sudo setsebool virt_use_execmem on
diff --git a/lib/nova_plugins/hypervisor-libvirt b/lib/nova_plugins/hypervisor-libvirt
index 7d3ace8c1c..d1b3d784b7 100644
--- a/lib/nova_plugins/hypervisor-libvirt
+++ b/lib/nova_plugins/hypervisor-libvirt
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ function cleanup_nova_hypervisor {
 function configure_nova_hypervisor {
     configure_libvirt
     iniset $NOVA_CONF libvirt virt_type "$LIBVIRT_TYPE"
-    iniset $NOVA_CONF libvirt cpu_mode "none"
+    iniset $NOVA_CONF libvirt cpu_mode "$LIBVIRT_CPU_MODE"
     # Do not enable USB tablet input devices to avoid QEMU CPU overhead.
     iniset $NOVA_CONF DEFAULT pointer_model "ps2mouse"
     iniset $NOVA_CONF libvirt live_migration_uri "qemu+ssh://$STACK_USER@%s/system"
diff --git a/stackrc b/stackrc
index fa7a40f51a..e11a34c8cc 100644
--- a/stackrc
+++ b/stackrc
@@ -621,6 +621,7 @@ VIRT_DRIVER=${VIRT_DRIVER:-$DEFAULT_VIRT_DRIVER}
 case "$VIRT_DRIVER" in
     ironic|libvirt)
         LIBVIRT_TYPE=${LIBVIRT_TYPE:-kvm}
+        LIBVIRT_CPU_MODE=${LIBVIRT_CPU_MODE:-none}
         if [[ "$os_VENDOR" =~ (Debian|Ubuntu) ]]; then
             # The groups change with newer libvirt. Older Ubuntu used
             # 'libvirtd', but now uses libvirt like Debian. Do a quick check