diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index a0b5ae9..53c4d35 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -1904,6 +1904,16 @@ Enable KVM full virtualization support. This option is only available
 if KVM support is enabled when compiling.
 ETEXI
 
+DEF("accel", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_accel, \
+    "-accel accel    use an accelerator (kvm,xen,tcg), default is tcg\n", QEMU_ARCH_ALL)
+STEXI
+@item -accel @var{accel}[,@var{accel}[,...]]
+@findex -accel
+This is use to enable an accelerator, in kvm,xen,tcg.
+By default, it use only tcg. If there a more than one accelerator
+specified, the next one is used if the first don't work.
+ETEXI
+
 DEF("xen-domid", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_xen_domid,
     "-xen-domid id   specify xen guest domain id\n", QEMU_ARCH_ALL)
 DEF("xen-create", 0, QEMU_OPTION_xen_create,
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index d352d18..475efe0 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -1744,6 +1744,74 @@ static int debugcon_parse(const char *devname)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static struct {
+    const char *opt_name;
+    const char *name;
+    int (*available)(void);
+    int (*init)(int smp_cpus);
+    int *allowed;
+} accel_list[] = {
+    { "tcg", "tcg", NULL, NULL, NULL },
+    { "kvm", "KVM", kvm_available, kvm_init, &kvm_allowed },
+};
+
+static int accel_parse_init(const char *opts)
+{
+    const char *p = opts;
+    char buf[10];
+    int i, ret;
+    bool accel_initalised = 0;
+    bool init_failed = 0;
+
+    while (!accel_initalised && *p != '\0') {
+        if (*p == ',') {
+            p++;
+        }
+        p = get_opt_name(buf, sizeof (buf), p, ',');
+        for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(accel_list); i++) {
+            if (strcmp(accel_list[i].opt_name, buf) == 0) {
+                if (accel_list[i].init) {
+                    ret = accel_list[i].init(smp_cpus);
+                } else {
+                    ret = 0;
+                }
+                if (ret < 0) {
+                    init_failed = 1;
+                    if (!accel_list[i].available()) {
+                        printf("%s not supported for this target\n",
+                               accel_list[i].name);
+                    } else {
+                        fprintf(stderr, "failed to initialize %s: %s\n",
+                                accel_list[i].name,
+                                strerror(-ret));
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    accel_initalised = 1;
+                    if (accel_list[i].allowed) {
+                        *(accel_list[i].allowed) = 1;
+                    }
+                }
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        if (i == ARRAY_SIZE(accel_list) + 1) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "\"%s\" accelerator does not exist.\n", buf);
+            exit(1);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!accel_initalised) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "No accelerator found!\n");
+        exit(1);
+    }
+
+    if (init_failed) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Back to %s accelerator.\n", accel_list[i].name);
+    }
+
+    return !accel_initalised;
+}
+
 void qemu_add_exit_notifier(Notifier *notify)
 {
     notifier_list_add(&exit_notifiers, notify);
@@ -1823,6 +1891,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     const char *incoming = NULL;
     int show_vnc_port = 0;
     int defconfig = 1;
+    const char *accel_list_opts = "tcg";
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SIMPLE_TRACE
     const char *trace_file = NULL;
@@ -2443,7 +2512,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                 do_smbios_option(optarg);
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_enable_kvm:
-                kvm_allowed = 1;
+                accel_list_opts = "kvm";
+                break;
+            case QEMU_OPTION_accel:
+                accel_list_opts = optarg;
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_usb:
                 usb_enabled = 1;
@@ -2741,16 +2813,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    if (kvm_allowed) {
-        int ret = kvm_init(smp_cpus);
-        if (ret < 0) {
-            if (!kvm_available()) {
-                printf("KVM not supported for this target\n");
-            } else {
-                fprintf(stderr, "failed to initialize KVM: %s\n", strerror(-ret));
-            }
-            exit(1);
-        }
+    if (accel_list_opts) {
+        accel_parse_init(accel_list_opts);
     }
 
     if (qemu_init_main_loop()) {
