diff --git a/tools/kvm/arm/aarch32/arm-cpu.c b/tools/kvm/arm/aarch32/arm-cpu.c
index 946e443..ce68dc6 100644
--- a/tools/kvm/arm/aarch32/arm-cpu.c
+++ b/tools/kvm/arm/aarch32/arm-cpu.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ static void generate_fdt_nodes(void *fdt, struct kvm *kvm, u32 gic_phandle)
 {
 	int timer_interrupts[4] = {13, 14, 11, 10};
 
-	gic__generate_fdt_nodes(fdt, gic_phandle);
+	gic__generate_fdt_nodes(fdt, gic_phandle, KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2);
 	timer__generate_fdt_nodes(fdt, kvm, timer_interrupts);
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/kvm/arm/aarch64/arm-cpu.c b/tools/kvm/arm/aarch64/arm-cpu.c
index 8efe877..a70d6bb 100644
--- a/tools/kvm/arm/aarch64/arm-cpu.c
+++ b/tools/kvm/arm/aarch64/arm-cpu.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 static void generate_fdt_nodes(void *fdt, struct kvm *kvm, u32 gic_phandle)
 {
 	int timer_interrupts[4] = {13, 14, 11, 10};
-	gic__generate_fdt_nodes(fdt, gic_phandle);
+	gic__generate_fdt_nodes(fdt, gic_phandle, KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2);
 	timer__generate_fdt_nodes(fdt, kvm, timer_interrupts);
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/kvm/arm/gic.c b/tools/kvm/arm/gic.c
index 8d47562..f4bda339 100644
--- a/tools/kvm/arm/gic.c
+++ b/tools/kvm/arm/gic.c
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@
 
 static int gic_fd = -1;
 
-static int gic__create_device(struct kvm *kvm)
+static int gic__create_device(struct kvm *kvm, u32 type)
 {
 	int err;
 	u64 cpu_if_addr = ARM_GIC_CPUI_BASE;
 	u64 dist_addr = ARM_GIC_DIST_BASE;
 	struct kvm_create_device gic_device = {
-		.type	= KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2,
+		.type	= type,
 	};
 	struct kvm_device_attr cpu_if_attr = {
 		.group	= KVM_DEV_ARM_VGIC_GRP_ADDR,
@@ -36,11 +36,19 @@ static int gic__create_device(struct kvm *kvm)
 
 	gic_fd = gic_device.fd;
 
-	err = ioctl(gic_fd, KVM_SET_DEVICE_ATTR, &cpu_if_attr);
-	if (err)
-		return err;
+	switch (type) {
+	case KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2:
+		err = ioctl(gic_fd, KVM_SET_DEVICE_ATTR, &cpu_if_attr);
+		if (err)
+			return err;
+		break;
+	default:
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
 
-	return ioctl(gic_fd, KVM_SET_DEVICE_ATTR, &dist_attr);
+	err = ioctl(gic_fd, KVM_SET_DEVICE_ATTR, &dist_attr);
+
+	return err;
 }
 
 static int gic__create_irqchip(struct kvm *kvm)
@@ -71,7 +79,7 @@ static int gic__create_irqchip(struct kvm *kvm)
 	return err;
 }
 
-int gic__create(struct kvm *kvm)
+static int gicv2__create_irqchip(struct kvm *kvm)
 {
 	int err;
 
@@ -82,13 +90,22 @@ int gic__create(struct kvm *kvm)
 	}
 
 	/* Try the new way first, and fallback on legacy method otherwise */
-	err = gic__create_device(kvm);
+	err = gic__create_device(kvm, KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2);
 	if (err)
 		err = gic__create_irqchip(kvm);
 
 	return err;
 }
 
+int gic__create(struct kvm *kvm, u32 type)
+{
+	switch (type) {
+	case KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2:
+		return gicv2__create_irqchip(kvm);
+	}
+	return -ENODEV;
+}
+
 /*
  * Sets the number of used interrupts and finalizes the GIC init explicitly.
  */
@@ -131,15 +148,26 @@ static int gic__init_gic(struct kvm *kvm)
 }
 late_init(gic__init_gic)
 
-void gic__generate_fdt_nodes(void *fdt, u32 phandle)
+void gic__generate_fdt_nodes(void *fdt, u32 phandle, u32 type)
 {
+	const char *compatible;
 	u64 reg_prop[] = {
-		cpu_to_fdt64(ARM_GIC_DIST_BASE), cpu_to_fdt64(ARM_GIC_DIST_SIZE),
-		cpu_to_fdt64(ARM_GIC_CPUI_BASE), cpu_to_fdt64(ARM_GIC_CPUI_SIZE),
+		cpu_to_fdt64(ARM_GIC_DIST_BASE),
+		cpu_to_fdt64(ARM_GIC_DIST_SIZE),
+		cpu_to_fdt64(ARM_GIC_CPUI_BASE),
+		cpu_to_fdt64(ARM_GIC_CPUI_SIZE),
 	};
 
+	switch (type) {
+	case KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2:
+		compatible = "arm,cortex-a15-gic";
+		break;
+	default:
+		return;
+	}
+
 	_FDT(fdt_begin_node(fdt, "intc"));
-	_FDT(fdt_property_string(fdt, "compatible", "arm,cortex-a15-gic"));
+	_FDT(fdt_property_string(fdt, "compatible", compatible));
 	_FDT(fdt_property_cell(fdt, "#interrupt-cells", GIC_FDT_IRQ_NUM_CELLS));
 	_FDT(fdt_property(fdt, "interrupt-controller", NULL, 0));
 	_FDT(fdt_property(fdt, "reg", reg_prop, sizeof(reg_prop)));
diff --git a/tools/kvm/arm/include/arm-common/gic.h b/tools/kvm/arm/include/arm-common/gic.h
index 9bbe81e..149f2ca 100644
--- a/tools/kvm/arm/include/arm-common/gic.h
+++ b/tools/kvm/arm/include/arm-common/gic.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 struct kvm;
 
 int gic__alloc_irqnum(void);
-int gic__create(struct kvm *kvm);
-void gic__generate_fdt_nodes(void *fdt, u32 phandle);
+int gic__create(struct kvm *kvm, u32 type);
+void gic__generate_fdt_nodes(void *fdt, u32 phandle, u32 type);
 
 #endif /* ARM_COMMON__GIC_H */
diff --git a/tools/kvm/arm/kvm.c b/tools/kvm/arm/kvm.c
index bcd2533..8d31fd7 100644
--- a/tools/kvm/arm/kvm.c
+++ b/tools/kvm/arm/kvm.c
@@ -82,6 +82,6 @@ void kvm__arch_init(struct kvm *kvm, const char *hugetlbfs_path, u64 ram_size)
 		MADV_MERGEABLE | MADV_HUGEPAGE);
 
 	/* Create the virtual GIC. */
-	if (gic__create(kvm))
+	if (gic__create(kvm, KVM_DEV_TYPE_ARM_VGIC_V2))
 		die("Failed to create virtual GIC");
 }
