diff --git a/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c b/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
index 862f8ff5f7..ef07df2442 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/sifive_u.c
@@ -230,7 +230,9 @@ static void create_fdt(SiFiveUState *s, const struct MemmapEntry *memmap,
 
     qemu_fdt_add_subnode(fdt, "/chosen");
     qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "stdout-path", nodename);
-    qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs", cmdline);
+    if (cmdline) {
+        qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs", cmdline);
+    }
     g_free(nodename);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/riscv/spike.c b/hw/riscv/spike.c
index be5ef85e81..8a712ed490 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/spike.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/spike.c
@@ -156,8 +156,10 @@ static void create_fdt(SpikeState *s, const struct MemmapEntry *memmap,
     g_free(cells);
     g_free(nodename);
 
-    qemu_fdt_add_subnode(fdt, "/chosen");
-    qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs", cmdline);
+    if (cmdline) {
+        qemu_fdt_add_subnode(fdt, "/chosen");
+        qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs", cmdline);
+    }
  }
 
 static void spike_v1_10_0_board_init(MachineState *machine)
diff --git a/hw/riscv/virt.c b/hw/riscv/virt.c
index 6bd723dc3a..4a137a503c 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/virt.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/virt.c
@@ -254,7 +254,9 @@ static void *create_fdt(RISCVVirtState *s, const struct MemmapEntry *memmap,
 
     qemu_fdt_add_subnode(fdt, "/chosen");
     qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "stdout-path", nodename);
-    qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs", cmdline);
+    if (cmdline) {
+        qemu_fdt_setprop_string(fdt, "/chosen", "bootargs", cmdline);
+    }
     g_free(nodename);
 
     return fdt;