diff --git a/build_library/qemu_template.sh b/build_library/qemu_template.sh
index 45235b68a0..73c30a086a 100755
--- a/build_library/qemu_template.sh
+++ b/build_library/qemu_template.sh
@@ -218,8 +218,8 @@ else
             ;;
         amd64-usr+*)
             set -- -machine q35 -cpu kvm64 -smp 1 -nographic "$@" ;;
-        arm64-usr+aarch64)
-            set -- -machine virt,accel=kvm,gic-version=3 -cpu host -smp "${VM_NCPUS}" -nographic "$@" ;;
+        arm64-usr+aarch64|arm64-usr+arm64)
+            set -- -machine virt,accel=kvm:hvf:tcg,gic-version=3 -cpu host -smp "${VM_NCPUS}" -nographic "$@" ;;
         arm64-usr+*)
             if test "${VM_NCPUS}" -gt 4 ; then
                 VM_NCPUS=4
diff --git a/changelog/bugfixes/2025-10-08-macos-hvf-accel.md b/changelog/bugfixes/2025-10-08-macos-hvf-accel.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..802a8f4ee9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/bugfixes/2025-10-08-macos-hvf-accel.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Fixed the QEMU launcher script to include HVF acceleration on arm64-based Macs for faster performance ([Flatcar#1901](https://github.com/flatcar/Flatcar/issues/1901))