diff --git a/base-nova/run/env b/base-nova/run/env
index f9269f5f9a..091933b80b 100644
--- a/base-nova/run/env
+++ b/base-nova/run/env
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ proc build_boot_image {binaries} {
 	if {![nova_external] && ![file exists [nova_kernel]]} { build { kernel } }
 
 	puts "using NOVA kernel at [nova_kernel]"
-	exec cp [nova_kernel] [run_dir]/hypervisor
+	exec objcopy -O elf32-i386 [nova_kernel] [run_dir]/hypervisor
 
 	install_iso_bootloader_to_run_dir
 
diff --git a/tool/run b/tool/run
index c37faada17..e561894c8f 100755
--- a/tool/run
+++ b/tool/run
@@ -440,12 +440,13 @@ proc spawn_qemu { wait_for_re timeout_value } {
 	if {[have_spec platform_vpb926]} { append qemu_args " -M versatilepb     -m 128 " }
 	if {[have_spec platform_vea9x4]} { append qemu_args " -M vexpress-a9 -cpu cortex-a9 -m 256 " }
 
-	# on x86, we supply the boot image as ISO image
-	if {[have_spec x86_64] && [have_spec nova]} {
-		append qemu_args " -boot n -tftp [run_dir] -bootp boot/pulsar -no-reboot -no-shutdown "
-	} else {
-		# on x86, we supply the boot image as ISO image
-		if {[have_spec x86]} { append qemu_args " -cdrom [run_dir].iso " }
+	# on x86, we support booting via pxe or iso image [default]
+	if {[have_spec x86]} {
+		if {[have_spec boot_pxe]} {
+			append qemu_args " -boot n -tftp [run_dir] -bootp boot/pulsar -no-reboot -no-shutdown "
+		} else {
+			append qemu_args " -cdrom [run_dir].iso "
+		}
 	}
 
 	# on ARM, we supply the boot image as kernel