diff --git a/board/qemu/x86/linux-4.3.config b/board/qemu/x86/linux-4.3.config
index 20726c3dc4..4dcc995bfd 100644
--- a/board/qemu/x86/linux-4.3.config
+++ b/board/qemu/x86/linux-4.3.config
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 CONFIG_SYSVIPC=y
+CONFIG_SMP=y
 CONFIG_NET=y
 CONFIG_PACKET=y
 CONFIG_UNIX=y
diff --git a/board/qemu/x86/readme.txt b/board/qemu/x86/readme.txt
index da8384aa0a..62c51b0f99 100644
--- a/board/qemu/x86/readme.txt
+++ b/board/qemu/x86/readme.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ Run the emulation with:
 
   qemu-system-i386 -M pc -kernel output/images/bzImage -drive file=output/images/rootfs.ext2,if=ide,format=raw -append root=/dev/sda -net nic,model=rtl8139 -net user
 
+Optionally add -smp N to emulate a SMP system with N CPUs.
+
 The login prompt will appear in the graphical window.
 
 Tested with QEMU 2.3.0
diff --git a/board/qemu/x86_64/linux-4.3.config b/board/qemu/x86_64/linux-4.3.config
index 20726c3dc4..4dcc995bfd 100644
--- a/board/qemu/x86_64/linux-4.3.config
+++ b/board/qemu/x86_64/linux-4.3.config
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 CONFIG_SYSVIPC=y
+CONFIG_SMP=y
 CONFIG_NET=y
 CONFIG_PACKET=y
 CONFIG_UNIX=y
diff --git a/board/qemu/x86_64/readme.txt b/board/qemu/x86_64/readme.txt
index 7c3956334a..e2be5745ea 100644
--- a/board/qemu/x86_64/readme.txt
+++ b/board/qemu/x86_64/readme.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ Run the emulation with:
 
   qemu-system-x86_64 -M pc -kernel output/images/bzImage -drive file=output/images/rootfs.ext2,if=ide,format=raw -append root=/dev/sda -net nic,model=rtl8139 -net user
 
+Optionally add -smp N to emulate a SMP system with N CPUs.
+
 The login prompt will appear in the graphical window.
 
 Tested with QEMU 2.3.0