diff --git a/pkg/drivers/qemu/qemu.go b/pkg/drivers/qemu/qemu.go
index 2a88e0782f..a444290af9 100644
--- a/pkg/drivers/qemu/qemu.go
+++ b/pkg/drivers/qemu/qemu.go
@@ -337,10 +337,6 @@ func (d *Driver) Start() error {
 
 	if d.MachineType != "" {
 		machineType := d.MachineType
-		if runtime.GOOS == "darwin" {
-			// highmem=off needed, see https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/qemu-devel/patch/20201126215017.41156-9-agraf@csgraf.de/#23800615 for details
-			machineType += ",highmem=off"
-		}
 		startCmd = append(startCmd,
 			"-M", machineType,
 		)
diff --git a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/qemu2/qemu2.go b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/qemu2/qemu2.go
index 21ce1748d0..ed0cb55720 100644
--- a/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/qemu2/qemu2.go
+++ b/pkg/minikube/registry/drvs/qemu2/qemu2.go
@@ -114,11 +114,12 @@ func configure(cc config.ClusterConfig, n config.Node) (interface{}, error) {
 		qemuMachine = "" // default
 		qemuCPU = ""     // default
 	case "arm64":
+		// highmem=off needed, see https://patchwork.kernel.org/project/qemu-devel/patch/20201126215017.41156-9-agraf@csgraf.de/#23800615 for details
 		if runtime.GOOS == "darwin" {
-			qemuMachine = "virt"
+			qemuMachine = "virt,highmem=off"
 			qemuCPU = "cortex-a72"
 		} else if runtime.GOOS == "linux" {
-			qemuMachine = "gic-version=3"
+			qemuMachine = "virt,gic-version=3"
 			qemuCPU = "host"
 		}
 	default: