diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index dcf9103..717a143 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@
 	@echo '   test-kut             - runs all kvm-unit-tests in qemu-aarch64 simulated environment'
 	@echo '   test-list            - lists all test targets'
 	@echo ''
+	@echo 'Test Parameters:'
+	@echo '   VM_IMAGE             - path to an image to be used by the VMM to boot the VM'
+	@echo '                          (default: uses the host image)'
+	@echo ''
 	@echo 'Test Flags:'
 	@echo '   VERBOSE=[0|1]        - prints the verbose output of the scripts running the test'
 	@echo '                          (default: 0)'
@@ -431,6 +435,8 @@
 
 CROSVM_HELLOWORLD_TESTS := $(addprefix test-crosvm-helloworld-,$(KVM_MODES))
 
+VM_IMAGE ?= $(KERNEL_IMAGE)
+
 .PHONY: test-crosvm-helloworld
 test-crosvm-helloworld: $(CROSVM_HELLOWORLD_TESTS)
 
@@ -443,7 +449,7 @@
 $(CROSVM_HELLOWORLD_TESTS): RUN_TEST_QEMU_ARGS = \
 		-s 4 \
 		-R $(SCRIPTS_DIR)/crosvm/helloworld/guest.sh \
-		-R $(KERNEL_IMAGE) \
+		-R $(VM_IMAGE) \
 		-R $(PREBUILTS_ROOTFS_EXT4) \
 		-R $(PREBUILTS_CROSVM_EXT4)
 $(CROSVM_HELLOWORLD_TESTS): RUN_TEST_TIMEOUT := 300s