diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/bhyverun_machdep.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include "acpi.h"
 #include "atkbdc.h"
 #include "bhyverun.h"
+#include "bootrom.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "e820.h"
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@
 	int error;
 
 	if (bsp) {
-		if (lpc_bootrom()) {
+		if (bootrom_boot()) {
 			error = vm_set_capability(vcpu,
 			    VM_CAP_UNRESTRICTED_GUEST, 1);
 			if (error != 0) {
@@ -332,6 +333,9 @@
 	rtc_init(ctx);
 	sci_init(ctx);
 	error = e820_init(ctx);
+	if (error != 0)
+		return (error);
+	error = bootrom_loadrom(ctx);
 	if (error != 0)
 		return (error);
 
@@ -355,7 +359,7 @@
 	if (error != 0)
 		return (error);
 
-	if (lpc_bootrom() && strcmp(lpc_fwcfg(), "bhyve") == 0)
+	if (bootrom_boot() && strcmp(lpc_fwcfg(), "bhyve") == 0)
 		fwctl_init();
 
 	if (get_config_bool("acpi_tables")) {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/ioapic.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/ioapic.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/ioapic.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/ioapic.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <machine/vmm.h>
 #include <vmmapi.h>
 
+#include "bootrom.h"
 #include "ioapic.h"
 #include "pci_emul.h"
 #include "pci_lpc.h"
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@
 
 	if (pci_pins == 0)
 		return (-1);
-	if (lpc_bootrom()) {
+	if (bootrom_boot()) {
 		/* For external bootrom use fixed mapping. */
 		return (16 + (4 + pi->pi_slot + pi->pi_lintr.pin) % 8);
 	}
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_irq.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_irq.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_irq.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_irq.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include <vmmapi.h>
 
 #include "acpi.h"
+#include "bootrom.h"
 #include "inout.h"
 #include "ioapic.h"
 #include "pci_emul.h"
@@ -205,7 +206,7 @@
 
 	pirq_cold = 0;
 
-	if (lpc_bootrom()) {
+	if (bootrom_boot()) {
 		/* For external bootrom use fixed mapping. */
 		best_pin = (4 + pi->pi_slot + pi->pi_lintr.pin) % 8;
 	} else {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.h b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.h
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.h
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@
 void    lpc_print_supported_devices(void);
 char	*lpc_pirq_name(int pin);
 void	lpc_pirq_routed(void);
-const char *lpc_bootrom(void);
 const char *lpc_fwcfg(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/amd64/pci_lpc.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
 			if (romfile == NULL) {
 				errx(4, "invalid bootrom option \"%s\"", opts);
 			}
-			set_config_value("lpc.bootrom", romfile);
+			set_config_value("bootrom", romfile);
 
 			varfile = strsep(&str, ",");
 			if (varfile == NULL) {
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
 				goto done;
 			}
 			if (strchr(varfile, '=') == NULL) {
-				set_config_value("lpc.bootvars", varfile);
+				set_config_value("bootvars", varfile);
 			} else {
 				/* varfile doesn't exist, it's another config
 				 * option */
@@ -182,13 +182,6 @@
 	printf("%s\n", pctestdev_getname());
 }
 
-const char *
-lpc_bootrom(void)
-{
-
-	return (get_config_value("lpc.bootrom"));
-}
-
 const char *
 lpc_fwcfg(void)
 {
@@ -256,14 +249,6 @@
 	const char *backend, *name;
 	char *node_name;
 	int unit, error;
-	const nvlist_t *nvl;
-
-	nvl = find_config_node("lpc");
-	if (nvl != NULL && nvlist_exists(nvl, "bootrom")) {
-		error = bootrom_loadrom(ctx, nvl);
-		if (error)
-			return (error);
-	}
 
 	/* COM1 and COM2 */
 	for (unit = 0; unit < LPC_UART_NUM; unit++) {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyve_config.5 b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyve_config.5
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyve_config.5
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyve_config.5
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 .\" OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
 .\" SUCH DAMAGE.
 .\"
-.Dd November 20, 2023
+.Dd May 1, 2024
 .Dt BHYVE_CONFIG 5
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -146,6 +146,9 @@
 This value only works when loaded with UEFI mode for VNC, and
 used a VNC client that don't support QEMU Extended Key Event
 Message (e.g. TightVNC).
+.It Va pci.enable_bars Ta bool Ta Ta
+Enable and map PCI BARs before executing any guest code.
+This setting is false by default on arm64, and true by default on amd64.
 .It Va tpm.path Ta string Ta Ta
 Path to the host TPM device.
 This is typically /dev/tpm0.
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
@@ -524,12 +524,7 @@
 
 	reinit = false;
 
-#ifdef __amd64__
-	romboot = lpc_bootrom() != NULL;
-#else
-	romboot = true;
-#endif
-
+	romboot = bootrom_boot();
 	error = vm_create(vmname);
 	if (error) {
 		if (errno == EEXIST) {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.h b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.h
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 };
 int bootrom_alloc(struct vmctx *ctx, size_t len, int prot, int flags,
     char **region_out, uint64_t *gpa_out);
-int bootrom_loadrom(struct vmctx *ctx, const nvlist_t *nvl);
+bool bootrom_boot(void);
+int bootrom_loadrom(struct vmctx *ctx);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bootrom.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@
 }
 
 int
-bootrom_loadrom(struct vmctx *ctx, const nvlist_t *nvl)
+bootrom_loadrom(struct vmctx *ctx)
 {
 	struct stat sbuf;
 	ssize_t rlen;
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@
 	rv = -1;
 	varfd = -1;
 
-	bootrom = get_config_value_node(nvl, "bootrom");
+	bootrom = get_config_value("bootrom");
 	if (bootrom == NULL) {
 		return (-1);
 	}
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@
 
 	rom_size = sbuf.st_size;
 
-	varfile = get_config_value_node(nvl, "bootvars");
+	varfile = get_config_value("bootvars");
 	var_size = 0;
 	if (varfile != NULL) {
 		varfd = open(varfile, O_RDWR);
@@ -314,3 +314,12 @@
 	free(romfile);
 	return (rv);
 }
+
+/*
+ * Are we relying on a bootrom to initialize the guest's CPU context?
+ */
+bool
+bootrom_boot(void)
+{
+	return (get_config_value("bootrom") != NULL);
+}
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/pci_emul.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/pci_emul.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/pci_emul.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/pci_emul.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 
 #include "acpi.h"
 #include "bhyverun.h"
+#include "bootrom.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #ifdef __amd64__
@@ -853,6 +854,9 @@
 		TAILQ_INSERT_BEFORE(bar, new_bar, chain);
 	}
 
+	if (bootrom_boot())
+		return (0);
+
 	/*
 	 * pci_passthru devices synchronize their physical and virtual command
 	 * register on init. For that reason, the virtual cmd reg should be
@@ -966,8 +970,19 @@
 		pci_set_cfgdata32(pdi, PCIR_BAR(idx + 1), bar >> 32);
 	}
 
-	if (type != PCIBAR_ROM) {
-		register_bar(pdi, idx);
+	switch (type) {
+	case PCIBAR_IO:
+		if (porten(pdi))
+			register_bar(pdi, idx);
+		break;
+	case PCIBAR_MEM32:
+	case PCIBAR_MEM64:
+	case PCIBAR_MEMHI64:
+		if (memen(pdi))
+			register_bar(pdi, idx);
+		break;
+	default:
+		break;
 	}
 
 	return (0);
@@ -1140,7 +1155,8 @@
 	pci_set_cfgdata8(pdi, PCIR_INTLINE, 255);
 	pci_set_cfgdata8(pdi, PCIR_INTPIN, 0);
 
-	pci_set_cfgdata8(pdi, PCIR_COMMAND, PCIM_CMD_BUSMASTEREN);
+	if (!bootrom_boot())
+		pci_set_cfgdata8(pdi, PCIR_COMMAND, PCIM_CMD_BUSMASTEREN);
 
 	err = (*pde->pe_init)(pdi, fi->fi_config);
 	if (err == 0)