diff --git a/xtask/src/opt.rs b/xtask/src/opt.rs
index 191cb3d73..09350643c 100644
--- a/xtask/src/opt.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/opt.rs
@@ -194,6 +194,10 @@ pub struct QemuOpt {
     #[clap(long, action)]
     pub ovmf_vars: Option<PathBuf>,
 
+    /// Path of an OVMF shell application.
+    #[clap(long, action)]
+    pub ovmf_shell: Option<PathBuf>,
+
     /// Run an example instead of the main binary.
     #[clap(long, action)]
     pub example: Option<String>,
diff --git a/xtask/src/qemu.rs b/xtask/src/qemu.rs
index 90c2081ca..8f74cee63 100644
--- a/xtask/src/qemu.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/qemu.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ fn get_user_provided_path(file_type: FileType, opt: &QemuOpt) -> Option<PathBuf>
             var_name = ENV_VAR_OVMF_VARS;
         }
         FileType::Shell => {
-            opt_path = &None;
+            opt_path = &opt.ovmf_shell;
             var_name = ENV_VAR_OVMF_SHELL;
         }
     }