diff --git a/docs/man/xl.cfg.pod.5.in b/docs/man/xl.cfg.pod.5.in
index b72718151b..b1c0be14cd 100644
--- a/docs/man/xl.cfg.pod.5.in
+++ b/docs/man/xl.cfg.pod.5.in
@@ -80,13 +80,14 @@ single host must be unique.
 =item B<type="pv">
 
 Specifies that this is to be a PV domain, suitable for hosting Xen-aware
-guest operating systems. This is the default.
+guest operating systems. This is the default on x86.
 
 =item B<type="pvh">
 
 Specifies that this is to be an PVH domain. That is a lightweight HVM-like
 guest without a device model and without many of the emulated devices
-available to HVM guests. Note that this mode requires a PVH aware kernel.
+available to HVM guests. Note that this mode requires a PVH aware kernel on
+x86. This is the default on Arm.
 
 =item B<type="hvm">
 
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_arch.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_arch.h
index 5ab0c95974..930570ef1e 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_arch.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_arch.h
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ _hidden
 int libxl__arch_domain_map_irq(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid, int irq);
 
 _hidden
-void libxl__arch_domain_build_info_setdefault(libxl_domain_build_info *b_info);
+void libxl__arch_domain_build_info_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc,
+                                              libxl_domain_build_info *b_info);
 
 _hidden
 int libxl__arch_extra_memory(libxl__gc *gc,
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_arm.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_arm.c
index 699fd9ddc6..25dc3defc6 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_arm.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_arm.c
@@ -953,7 +953,11 @@ int libxl__arch_domain_init_hw_description(libxl__gc *gc,
     int rc;
     uint64_t val;
 
-    assert(info->type == LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_PV);
+    if (info->type != LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_PVH) {
+        LOG(ERROR, "Unsupported Arm guest type %s",
+            libxl_domain_type_to_string(info->type));
+        return ERROR_INVAL;
+    }
 
     /* Set the value of domain param HVM_PARAM_CALLBACK_IRQ. */
     val = MASK_INSR(HVM_PARAM_CALLBACK_TYPE_PPI,
@@ -1110,10 +1114,28 @@ int libxl__arch_domain_map_irq(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid, int irq)
     return xc_domain_bind_pt_spi_irq(CTX->xch, domid, irq, irq);
 }
 
-void libxl__arch_domain_build_info_setdefault(libxl_domain_build_info *b_info)
+void libxl__arch_domain_build_info_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc,
+                                              libxl_domain_build_info *b_info)
 {
     /* ACPI is disabled by default */
     libxl_defbool_setdefault(&b_info->acpi, false);
+
+    /*
+     * Arm guest are now considered as PVH by the toolstack. To allow
+     * compatibility with previous toolstack, PV guest are automatically
+     * converted to PVH.
+     */
+    if (b_info->type != LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_PV)
+        return;
+
+    LOG(WARN, "Converting PV guest to PVH.");
+    LOG(WARN, "Arm guest are now PVH.");
+    LOG(WARN, "Please fix your configuration file/toolstack.");
+
+    /* Re-initialize type to PVH and all associated fields to defaults. */
+    memset(&b_info->u, '\0', sizeof(b_info->u));
+    b_info->type = LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_INVALID;
+    libxl_domain_build_info_init_type(b_info, LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_PVH);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
index fe97eebdea..320dbed3c6 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ int libxl__domain_build_info_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc,
     if (!b_info->event_channels)
         b_info->event_channels = 1023;
 
-    libxl__arch_domain_build_info_setdefault(b_info);
+    libxl__arch_domain_build_info_setdefault(gc, b_info);
     libxl_defbool_setdefault(&b_info->dm_restrict, false);
 
     switch (b_info->type) {
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_x86.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_x86.c
index 81523a568f..8b6759c089 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_x86.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_x86.c
@@ -613,7 +613,8 @@ int libxl__arch_domain_finalise_hw_description(libxl__gc *gc,
     return rc;
 }
 
-void libxl__arch_domain_build_info_setdefault(libxl_domain_build_info *b_info)
+void libxl__arch_domain_build_info_setdefault(libxl__gc *gc,
+                                              libxl_domain_build_info *b_info)
 {
     libxl_defbool_setdefault(&b_info->acpi, true);
 }
diff --git a/tools/xl/xl_parse.c b/tools/xl/xl_parse.c
index 971ec1bc56..0bda28152b 100644
--- a/tools/xl/xl_parse.c
+++ b/tools/xl/xl_parse.c
@@ -1286,7 +1286,11 @@ void parse_config_data(const char *config_source,
     }
 
     if (c_info->type == LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_INVALID)
+#if defined(__arm__) || defined(__aarch64__)
+        c_info->type = LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_PVH;
+#else
         c_info->type = LIBXL_DOMAIN_TYPE_PV;
+#endif
 
     xlu_cfg_get_defbool(config, "hap", &c_info->hap, 0);