diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
index 66f6d1a897f2..c169f0f70f3a 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
@@ -3751,6 +3751,7 @@ intel_execlists_create_virtual(struct i915_gem_context *ctx,
 	intel_engine_init_active(&ve->base, ENGINE_VIRTUAL);
 
 	intel_engine_init_execlists(&ve->base);
+	ve->base.breadcrumbs.irq_armed = true; /* fake HW, used for irq_work */
 
 	ve->base.cops = &virtual_context_ops;
 	ve->base.request_alloc = execlists_request_alloc;