diff --git a/gnu/system.scm b/gnu/system.scm
index 1006c842c9..c8d4d014ed 100644
--- a/gnu/system.scm
+++ b/gnu/system.scm
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ (define-module (gnu system)
             operating-system-locale-directory
             operating-system-boot-script
 
+            system-linux-image-file-name
+
             boot-parameters
             boot-parameters?
             boot-parameters-label
@@ -255,9 +257,10 @@ (define (swap-services os)
 (define* (system-linux-image-file-name #:optional (system (%current-system)))
   "Return the basename of the kernel image file for SYSTEM."
   ;; FIXME: Evaluate the conditional based on the actual current system.
-  (if (string-prefix? "mips" (%current-system))
-      "vmlinuz"
-      "bzImage"))
+  (cond
+   ((string-prefix? "arm" (%current-system)) "zImage")
+   ((string-prefix? "mips" (%current-system)) "vmlinuz")
+   (else "bzImage")))
 
 (define (operating-system-kernel-file os)
   "Return an object representing the absolute file name of the kernel image of
diff --git a/gnu/system/vm.scm b/gnu/system/vm.scm
index 8a35f7fbc5..a7203d1690 100644
--- a/gnu/system/vm.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/vm.scm
@@ -141,7 +141,8 @@ (define builder
                          (gnu build vm))
 
             (let ((inputs  '#$(list qemu coreutils))
-                  (linux   (string-append #$linux "/bzImage"))
+                  (linux   (string-append #$linux "/"
+                                          #$(system-linux-image-file-name)))
                   (initrd  (string-append #$initrd "/initrd"))
                   (loader  #$loader)
                   (graphs  '#$(match references-graphs
@@ -487,7 +488,7 @@ (define builder
 
 #$@(if full-boot?
        #~()
-       #~(" -kernel " #$(operating-system-kernel os) "/bzImage \
+       #~(" -kernel " #$(operating-system-kernel-file os) " \
             -initrd " #$os-drv "/initrd \
             -append \"" #$(if graphic? "" "console=ttyS0 ")
             "--system=" #$os-drv " --load=" #$os-drv "/boot --root=/dev/vda1 "