diff --git a/hw/pc.c b/hw/pc.c
index 0934778c79..aa9257679b 100644
--- a/hw/pc.c
+++ b/hw/pc.c
@@ -1152,7 +1152,7 @@ static void pc_init1(ram_addr_t ram_size,
     }
 
     /* Add virtio balloon device */
-    if (pci_enabled) {
+    if (pci_enabled && !no_virtio_balloon) {
         pci_create_simple(pci_bus, -1, "virtio-balloon-pci");
     }
 
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index fa549c36e2..9d5e05a082 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -680,6 +680,15 @@ STEXI
 Disable HPET support.
 ETEXI
 
+#ifdef TARGET_I386
+DEF("no-virtio-balloon", 0, QEMU_OPTION_no_virtio_balloon,
+    "-no-virtio-balloon disable virtio balloon device\n")
+#endif
+STEXI
+@item -no-virtio-balloon
+Disable virtio-balloon device.
+ETEXI
+
 #ifdef TARGET_I386
 DEF("acpitable", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_acpitable,
     "-acpitable [sig=str][,rev=n][,oem_id=str][,oem_table_id=str][,oem_rev=n][,asl_compiler_id=str][,asl_compiler_rev=n][,data=file1[:file2]...]\n"
diff --git a/sysemu.h b/sysemu.h
index e5e5ba0603..fe24415cd7 100644
--- a/sysemu.h
+++ b/sysemu.h
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ extern int win2k_install_hack;
 extern int rtc_td_hack;
 extern int alt_grab;
 extern int usb_enabled;
+extern int no_virtio_balloon;
 extern int smp_cpus;
 extern int cursor_hide;
 extern int graphic_rotate;
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 40fc3a432c..3d213f395d 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ int smp_cpus = 1;
 const char *vnc_display;
 int acpi_enabled = 1;
 int no_hpet = 0;
+int no_virtio_balloon = 0;
 int fd_bootchk = 1;
 int no_reboot = 0;
 int no_shutdown = 0;
@@ -5551,6 +5552,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
             case QEMU_OPTION_no_hpet:
                 no_hpet = 1;
                 break;
+            case QEMU_OPTION_no_virtio_balloon:
+                no_virtio_balloon = 1;
+                break;
 #endif
             case QEMU_OPTION_no_reboot:
                 no_reboot = 1;