diff --git a/apps/Arm/vm_minimal/CMakeLists.txt b/apps/Arm/vm_minimal/CMakeLists.txt
index 406e9c11..f085a15a 100644
--- a/apps/Arm/vm_minimal/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/apps/Arm/vm_minimal/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ elseif("${KernelARMPlatform}" STREQUAL "qemu-arm-virt")
     # Linux images for aarch64 only. However, it is unclear if that is the only
     # blocker to get this example run in QEMU on aarch32.
     if(NOT KernelSel4ArchAarch64)
-        message(FATAL_ERROR "Only AARCH64 is supported")
+        message(WARNING "Only AARCH64 is supported")
     endif()
 
     find_package(camkes-vm-linux REQUIRED)
diff --git a/apps/Arm/vm_minimal/settings.cmake b/apps/Arm/vm_minimal/settings.cmake
index 42a5d867..6c20922c 100644
--- a/apps/Arm/vm_minimal/settings.cmake
+++ b/apps/Arm/vm_minimal/settings.cmake
@@ -31,12 +31,10 @@ if(${PLATFORM} STREQUAL "odroidc2")
     set(VmDtbFile ON CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
 endif()
 if(${PLATFORM} STREQUAL "qemu-arm-virt")
-    # force cpu
+    # QEMU defaults to aarch64/Cortex-A53
     set(QEMU_MEMORY "2048")
-    set(KernelArmCPU cortex-a53 CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
     set(VmInitRdFile ON CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
 endif()
 if(${PLATFORM} STREQUAL "zcu102")
-    set(AARCH64 ON CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
     set(KernelAllowSMCCalls ON CACHE BOOL "" FORCE)
 endif()