diff --git a/cmake/emu/qemu.cmake b/cmake/emu/qemu.cmake
index 4b2cceb50fe..2378927a25b 100644
--- a/cmake/emu/qemu.cmake
+++ b/cmake/emu/qemu.cmake
@@ -226,8 +226,7 @@ endif(QEMU_PIPE_STACK)
 if(CONFIG_X86_64)
   # QEMU doesn't like 64-bit ELF files. Since we don't use any >4GB
   # addresses, converting it to 32-bit is safe enough for emulation.
-  set(QEMU_KERNEL_FILE "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr-qemu.elf")
-  add_custom_target(qemu_kernel_target
+  add_custom_target(qemu_image_target
     COMMAND
     ${CMAKE_OBJCOPY}
     -O elf32-i386
@@ -235,6 +234,42 @@ if(CONFIG_X86_64)
     ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr-qemu.elf
     DEPENDS ${logical_target_for_zephyr_elf}
     )
+
+  # Split the 'locore' and 'main' memory regions into separate executable
+  # images and specify the 'locore' as the boot kernel, in order to prevent
+  # the QEMU direct multiboot kernel loader from overwriting the BIOS and
+  # option ROM areas located in between the two memory regions.
+  # (for more details, refer to the issue zephyrproject-rtos/sdk-ng#168)
+  add_custom_target(qemu_locore_image_target
+    COMMAND
+    ${CMAKE_OBJCOPY}
+    -j .locore
+    ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr-qemu.elf
+    ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr-qemu-locore.elf
+    2>&1 | grep -iv \"empty loadable segment detected\" || true
+    DEPENDS qemu_image_target
+    )
+
+  add_custom_target(qemu_main_image_target
+    COMMAND
+    ${CMAKE_OBJCOPY}
+    -R .locore
+    ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr-qemu.elf
+    ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr-qemu-main.elf
+    2>&1 | grep -iv \"empty loadable segment detected\" || true
+    DEPENDS qemu_image_target
+    )
+
+  add_custom_target(
+    qemu_kernel_target
+    DEPENDS qemu_locore_image_target qemu_main_image_target
+    )
+
+  set(QEMU_KERNEL_FILE "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr-qemu-locore.elf")
+
+  list(APPEND QEMU_EXTRA_FLAGS
+    "-device;loader,file=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr-qemu-main.elf"
+    )
 endif()
 
 if(NOT QEMU_PIPE)