diff --git a/ports/qemu/Makefile b/ports/qemu/Makefile
index ba9c53841a..c8ce3de872 100644
--- a/ports/qemu/Makefile
+++ b/ports/qemu/Makefile
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ endif
 ################################################################################
 # Project specific settings and compiler/linker flags
 
-QEMU_SYSTEM = qemu-system-$(QEMU_ARCH)
+QEMU_BASE ?= qemu-system-
+QEMU_SYSTEM = $(QEMU_BASE)$(QEMU_ARCH)
 QEMU_ARGS += -machine $(QEMU_MACHINE) -nographic -monitor null -semihosting
 QEMU_ARGS += $(QEMU_EXTRA)
 
diff --git a/ports/qemu/README.md b/ports/qemu/README.md
index bf5788961d..a7134d0eb8 100644
--- a/ports/qemu/README.md
+++ b/ports/qemu/README.md
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ The following options can be specified on the `make` command line:
 - `CFLAGS_EXTRA`: pass in extra flags for the compiler.
 - `RUN_TESTS_EXTRA`: pass in extra flags for `run-tests.py` and `run-natmodtests.py`
   when invoked via `make test` or `make test_natmod`.
+- `QEMU_BASE`: pass an optional partial path of the qemu binary to run code with, eg.
+  `/opt/custom-directory/qemu/bin/qemu-system-`, similar to how a cross compiler name
+  is passed to the MicroPython makefile.  By default it will use the appropriate QEMU
+  binary found through the system's PATH environment variable.
 - `QEMU_DEBUG=1`: when running qemu (via `repl`, `run` or `test` target), qemu
   will block until a debugger is connected.  By default it waits for a gdb connection
   on TCP port 1234.