diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/vm/default.nix b/pkgs/build-support/vm/default.nix
index 5f9381cd00cf..996770d2fcc2 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/vm/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/vm/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 { pkgs
-, kernel ? pkgs.linux
+, kernel ? pkgs.linux_3_10
 , img ? "bzImage"
 , rootModules ?
     [ "virtio_pci" "virtio_blk" "virtio_balloon" "ext4" "unix" "9p" "9pnet_virtio" ]