diff --git a/cmake/emu/armfvp.cmake b/cmake/emu/armfvp.cmake
index 70fa5dc0aa3..354cc43cbcf 100644
--- a/cmake/emu/armfvp.cmake
+++ b/cmake/emu/armfvp.cmake
@@ -53,9 +53,12 @@ elseif(CONFIG_ARMV8_A_NS)
     --data cluster0.cpu0="${APPLICATION_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME}"@0x88000000
     )
 else()
-  set(ARMFVP_FLAGS ${ARMFVP_FLAGS}
-    -a ${APPLICATION_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr/${KERNEL_ELF_NAME}
+  string(FIND "${ARMFVP_FLAGS}" " -a " ARMFVP_APPARG_POS)
+  if(${ARMFVP_APPARG_POS} EQUAL -1)
+    set(ARMFVP_FLAGS ${ARMFVP_FLAGS}
+      -a ${APPLICATION_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr/${KERNEL_ELF_NAME}
     )
+  endif()
 endif()
 
 if(CONFIG_ETH_SMSC91X)