diff --git a/repos/base-foc/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h b/repos/base-foc/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
index abe2bab4f..3b8db0a88 100644
--- a/repos/base-foc/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
+++ b/repos/base-foc/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class Genode::Vm_session_component
 		using Cap_quota_guard::upgrade;
 
 		Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &, Resources, Label const &,
-		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &);
+		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &, unsigned);
 		~Vm_session_component();
 
 		/*********************************
diff --git a/repos/base-foc/src/core/vm_session_component.cc b/repos/base-foc/src/core/vm_session_component.cc
index afa4dfe8c..7f1f680b2 100644
--- a/repos/base-foc/src/core/vm_session_component.cc
+++ b/repos/base-foc/src/core/vm_session_component.cc
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ Vm_session_component::Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &ep,
                                            Label const &,
                                            Diag,
                                            Ram_allocator &ram,
-                                           Region_map &local_rm)
+                                           Region_map &local_rm,
+                                           unsigned)
 :
 	Ram_quota_guard(resources.ram_quota),
 	Cap_quota_guard(resources.cap_quota),
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/trustzone/vm_session_component.cc b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/trustzone/vm_session_component.cc
index ee148fb04..1d52e3229 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/trustzone/vm_session_component.cc
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/trustzone/vm_session_component.cc
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ Vm_session_component::Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint  &ds_ep,
                                            Label const &,
                                            Diag,
                                            Ram_allocator &ram_alloc,
-                                           Region_map &region_map)
+                                           Region_map &region_map,
+                                           unsigned)
 :
 	Ram_quota_guard(resources.ram_quota),
 	Cap_quota_guard(resources.cap_quota),
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/trustzone/vm_session_component.h b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/trustzone/vm_session_component.h
index b772897f3..67cde9db2 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/trustzone/vm_session_component.h
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/trustzone/vm_session_component.h
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ class Genode::Vm_session_component
 		using Rpc_object<Vm_session, Vm_session_component>::cap;
 
 		Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &, Resources, Label const &,
-		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &);
+		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &,
+		                     unsigned priority);
 		~Vm_session_component();
 
 		/**************************
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/virtualization/vm_session_component.cc b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/virtualization/vm_session_component.cc
index 1614d5392..fd2288d5c 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/virtualization/vm_session_component.cc
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/virtualization/vm_session_component.cc
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ Vm_session_component::Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &ds_ep,
                                            Label const &,
                                            Diag,
                                            Ram_allocator &ram_alloc,
-                                           Region_map &region_map)
+                                           Region_map &region_map,
+                                           unsigned)
 :
 	Ram_quota_guard(resources.ram_quota),
 	Cap_quota_guard(resources.cap_quota),
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/virtualization/vm_session_component.h b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/virtualization/vm_session_component.h
index 5144886ac..8b3e3b841 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/virtualization/vm_session_component.h
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/arm_v7/virtualization/vm_session_component.h
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ class Genode::Vm_session_component
 		using Rpc_object<Vm_session, Vm_session_component>::cap;
 
 		Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &, Resources, Label const &,
-		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &);
+		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &, unsigned);
 		~Vm_session_component();
 
 		/*********************************
diff --git a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/x86_64/muen/vm_session_component.h b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/x86_64/muen/vm_session_component.h
index e00432525..7a226345c 100644
--- a/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/x86_64/muen/vm_session_component.h
+++ b/repos/base-hw/src/core/spec/x86_64/muen/vm_session_component.h
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ class Genode::Vm_session_component
 	public:
 
 		Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &, Resources resources,
-		                     Label const &, Diag, Ram_allocator &, Region_map &)
+		                     Label const &, Diag, Ram_allocator &,
+		                     Region_map &, unsigned)
 		:
 			Ram_quota_guard(resources.ram_quota),
 			Cap_quota_guard(resources.cap_quota),
diff --git a/repos/base-nova/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h b/repos/base-nova/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
index 7f99a9a75..0067e0b5d 100644
--- a/repos/base-nova/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
+++ b/repos/base-nova/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class Genode::Vm_session_component
 		using Cap_quota_guard::upgrade;
 
 		Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &, Resources, Label const &,
-		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &);
+		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &, unsigned);
 		~Vm_session_component();
 
 		/*********************************
diff --git a/repos/base-nova/src/core/vm_session_component.cc b/repos/base-nova/src/core/vm_session_component.cc
index efdbde44b..04adf535f 100644
--- a/repos/base-nova/src/core/vm_session_component.cc
+++ b/repos/base-nova/src/core/vm_session_component.cc
@@ -276,7 +276,8 @@ Vm_session_component::Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &ep,
                                            Label const &,
                                            Diag,
                                            Ram_allocator &ram,
-                                           Region_map &local_rm)
+                                           Region_map &local_rm,
+                                           unsigned)
 :
 	Ram_quota_guard(resources.ram_quota),
 	Cap_quota_guard(resources.cap_quota),
diff --git a/repos/base-sel4/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h b/repos/base-sel4/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
index e9bbdd25e..4e5c2e781 100644
--- a/repos/base-sel4/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
+++ b/repos/base-sel4/src/core/include/vm_session_component.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class Genode::Vm_session_component
 		using Cap_quota_guard::upgrade;
 
 		Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &, Resources, Label const &,
-		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &);
+		                     Diag, Ram_allocator &ram, Region_map &, unsigned);
 		~Vm_session_component();
 
 		/*********************************
diff --git a/repos/base-sel4/src/core/spec/x86/vm_session_component.cc b/repos/base-sel4/src/core/spec/x86/vm_session_component.cc
index 8f4318338..844a39de8 100644
--- a/repos/base-sel4/src/core/spec/x86/vm_session_component.cc
+++ b/repos/base-sel4/src/core/spec/x86/vm_session_component.cc
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ Vm_session_component::Vm_session_component(Rpc_entrypoint &ep,
                                            Label const &,
                                            Diag,
                                            Ram_allocator &ram,
-                                           Region_map &local_rm)
+                                           Region_map &local_rm,
+                                           unsigned)
 try
 :
 	Ram_quota_guard(resources.ram_quota),
diff --git a/repos/base/src/core/include/vm_root.h b/repos/base/src/core/include/vm_root.h
index a4e2ad63d..62747139f 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/core/include/vm_root.h
+++ b/repos/base/src/core/include/vm_root.h
@@ -34,12 +34,21 @@ class Genode::Vm_root : public Root_component<Vm_session_component>
 
 		Vm_session_component *_create_session(const char *args) override
 		{
+			unsigned priority = 0;
+			Arg a = Arg_string::find_arg(args, "priority");
+			if (a.valid()) {
+				priority = a.ulong_value(0);
+
+				/* clamp priority value to valid range */
+				priority = min((unsigned)Cpu_session::PRIORITY_LIMIT - 1, priority);
+			}
+
 			return new (md_alloc())
 				Vm_session_component(*ep(),
 				                     session_resources_from_args(args),
 				                     session_label_from_args(args),
 				                     session_diag_from_args(args),
-				                     _ram_allocator, _local_rm);
+				                     _ram_allocator, _local_rm, priority);
 		}
 
 		void _upgrade_session(Vm_session_component *vm, const char *args) override
diff --git a/repos/os/run/vmm_x86.run b/repos/os/run/vmm_x86.run
index 3bf6da60e..d6a397b27 100644
--- a/repos/os/run/vmm_x86.run
+++ b/repos/os/run/vmm_x86.run
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ build $build_components
 create_boot_directory
 
 install_config {
-<config verbose="yes">
+<config verbose="yes" prio_levels="2">
 	<parent-provides>
 		<service name="ROM"/>
 		<service name="IRQ"/>
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ install_config {
 		<resource name="RAM" quantum="1M"/>
 		<provides><service name="Timer"/></provides>
 	</start>
-	<start name="vmm" caps="2048">
+	<start name="vmm" caps="2048" priority="-1">
 		<binary name="test-vmm_x86"/>
 		<resource name="RAM" quantum="256M"/>
 	</start>