diff --git a/builtin-run.c b/builtin-run.c
index b9efde2..ef1a358 100644
--- a/builtin-run.c
+++ b/builtin-run.c
@@ -739,11 +739,10 @@ int kvm_cmd_run(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			strlcat(real_cmdline, " init=/bin/sh ", sizeof(real_cmdline));
 	}
 
-	if (!strstr(real_cmdline, "root="))
-		strlcat(real_cmdline, " root=/dev/vda rw ", sizeof(real_cmdline));
-
 	if (using_rootfs)
-		strcat(real_cmdline, " root=/dev/root rootflags=rw,trans=virtio,version=9p2000.L rootfstype=9p");
+		strcat(real_cmdline, " root=/dev/root rw rootflags=rw,trans=virtio,version=9p2000.L rootfstype=9p");
+	else if (!strstr(real_cmdline, "root="))
+		strlcat(real_cmdline, " root=/dev/vda rw ", sizeof(real_cmdline));
 
 	if (image_count) {
 		kvm->nr_disks = image_count;