diff --git a/hypervisor/Makefile b/hypervisor/Makefile
index 329480485..98988a8a1 100644
--- a/hypervisor/Makefile
+++ b/hypervisor/Makefile
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ CFLAGS += -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections
 CFLAGS += -fshort-wchar -ffreestanding
 CFLAGS += -fsigned-char
 CFLAGS += -m64 -mno-mmx -mno-sse -mno-sse2 -mno-80387 -mno-fp-ret-in-387
-CFLAGS += -mno-red-zone
+CFLAGS += -mno-red-zone -mpopcnt
 CFLAGS += -nostdinc -nostdlib -fno-common
 CFLAGS += -Werror
 CFLAGS += -O2
diff --git a/hypervisor/arch/x86/cpu_caps.c b/hypervisor/arch/x86/cpu_caps.c
index fc3bc4d80..8627a774b 100644
--- a/hypervisor/arch/x86/cpu_caps.c
+++ b/hypervisor/arch/x86/cpu_caps.c
@@ -423,6 +423,9 @@ int32_t detect_hardware_support(void)
 	} else if (!pcpu_has_cap(X86_FEATURE_X2APIC)) {
 		printf("%s, x2APIC not supported\n", __func__);
 		ret = -ENODEV;
+	} else if (!pcpu_has_cap(X86_FEATURE_POPCNT)) {
+		printf("%s, popcnt instruction not supported\n", __func__);
+		ret = -ENODEV;
 	} else {
 		ret = check_vmx_mmu_cap();
 	}