diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
index 7c3d8ef4a47ce..d270d2db6f0a8 100644
--- a/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
+++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/i915/gt/intel_lrc.c
@@ -5688,6 +5688,7 @@ intel_execlists_create_virtual(struct intel_engine_cs **siblings,
 	intel_engine_init_active(&ve->base, ENGINE_VIRTUAL);
 	intel_engine_init_breadcrumbs(&ve->base);
 	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;