diff --git a/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/testutil/kernel.go b/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/testutil/kernel.go
index b6027583f..2df2501ee 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/testutil/kernel.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/fsimpl/testutil/kernel.go
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	platformFlag = flag.String("platform", "ptrace", "specify which platform to use")
+	platformFlag           = flag.String("platform", "ptrace", "specify which platform to use")
+	platformDevicePathFlag = flag.String("platform_device_path", "", "path to a platform-specific device file (e.g. /dev/kvm for KVM platform). If unset, will use a sane platform-specific default.")
 )
 
 // Boot initializes a new bare bones kernel for test.
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ func Boot() (*kernel.Kernel, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("platform not found: %v", err)
 	}
-	deviceFile, err := platformCtr.OpenDevice()
+	deviceFile, err := platformCtr.OpenDevice(*platformDevicePathFlag)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating platform: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/kvm/kvm.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/kvm/kvm.go
index 0d6490fa6..20caddb89 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/kvm/kvm.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/kvm/kvm.go
@@ -76,15 +76,15 @@ var (
 	globalErr  error
 )
 
-// OpenDevice opens the KVM device at /dev/kvm and returns the File.
-func OpenDevice() (*os.File, error) {
-	dev, ok := os.LookupEnv("GVISOR_KVM_DEV")
-	if !ok {
-		dev = "/dev/kvm"
+// OpenDevice opens the KVM device and returns the File.
+// If the devicePath is empty, it will default to /dev/kvm.
+func OpenDevice(devicePath string) (*os.File, error) {
+	if devicePath == "" {
+		devicePath = "/dev/kvm"
 	}
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(dev, unix.O_RDWR, 0)
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(devicePath, unix.O_RDWR, 0)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error opening KVM device file (%s): %v", dev, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error opening KVM device file (%s): %v", devicePath, err)
 	}
 	return f, nil
 }
@@ -186,8 +186,8 @@ func (*constructor) New(f *os.File) (platform.Platform, error) {
 	return New(f)
 }
 
-func (*constructor) OpenDevice() (*os.File, error) {
-	return OpenDevice()
+func (*constructor) OpenDevice(devicePath string) (*os.File, error) {
+	return OpenDevice(devicePath)
 }
 
 // Flags implements platform.Constructor.Flags().
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/kvm/kvm_test.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/kvm/kvm_test.go
index 2ed9cf766..36ec9aa63 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/kvm/kvm_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/kvm/kvm_test.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ type testHarness interface {
 
 func kvmTest(t testHarness, setup func(*KVM), fn func(*vCPU) bool) {
 	// Create the machine.
-	deviceFile, err := OpenDevice()
+	deviceFile, err := OpenDevice("")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error opening device file: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/platform.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/platform.go
index 679d6fd8f..96900a322 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/platform.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/platform.go
@@ -426,7 +426,11 @@ type Constructor interface {
 	//
 	// * deviceFile - the device file (e.g. /dev/kvm for the KVM platform).
 	New(deviceFile *os.File) (Platform, error)
-	OpenDevice() (*os.File, error)
+
+	// OpenDevice opens the path to the device used by the platform.
+	// Passing in an empty string will use the default path for the device,
+	// e.g. "/dev/kvm" for the KVM platform.
+	OpenDevice(devicePath string) (*os.File, error)
 
 	// Requirements returns platform specific requirements.
 	Requirements() Requirements
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/platform/ptrace/ptrace.go b/pkg/sentry/platform/ptrace/ptrace.go
index 424a12a3c..2566679c4 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/platform/ptrace/ptrace.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/platform/ptrace/ptrace.go
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ func (*constructor) New(*os.File) (platform.Platform, error) {
 	return New()
 }
 
-func (*constructor) OpenDevice() (*os.File, error) {
+func (*constructor) OpenDevice(_ string) (*os.File, error) {
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/runsc/cmd/install.go b/runsc/cmd/install.go
index 69cb75d62..757b829d8 100644
--- a/runsc/cmd/install.go
+++ b/runsc/cmd/install.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func (i *Install) Execute(_ context.Context, f *flag.FlagSet, _ ...interface{})
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("invalid platform: %v", err)
 	}
-	deviceFile, err := p.OpenDevice()
+	deviceFile, err := p.OpenDevice(conf.PlatformDevicePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("WARNING: unable to open platform, runsc may fail to start: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/runsc/config/config.go b/runsc/config/config.go
index 3f34d5639..3649cd6bc 100644
--- a/runsc/config/config.go
+++ b/runsc/config/config.go
@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ type Config struct {
 	// Platform is the platform to run on.
 	Platform string `flag:"platform"`
 
+	// PlatformDevicePath is the path to the device file used by the platform.
+	// e.g. "/dev/kvm" for the KVM platform.
+	// If unset, a sane platform-specific default will be used.
+	PlatformDevicePath string `flag:"platform_device_path"`
+
 	// Strace indicates that strace should be enabled.
 	Strace bool `flag:"strace"`
 
diff --git a/runsc/config/flags.go b/runsc/config/flags.go
index be0b1ac97..6bc725161 100644
--- a/runsc/config/flags.go
+++ b/runsc/config/flags.go
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ func RegisterFlags(flagSet *flag.FlagSet) {
 
 	// Flags that control sandbox runtime behavior.
 	flagSet.String("platform", "ptrace", "specifies which platform to use: ptrace (default), kvm.")
+	flagSet.String("platform_device_path", "", "path to a platform-specific device file (e.g. /dev/kvm for KVM platform). If unset, will use a sane platform-specific default.")
 	flagSet.Var(watchdogActionPtr(watchdog.LogWarning), "watchdog-action", "sets what action the watchdog takes when triggered: log (default), panic.")
 	flagSet.Int("panic-signal", -1, "register signal handling that panics. Usually set to SIGUSR2(12) to troubleshoot hangs. -1 disables it.")
 	flagSet.Bool("profile", false, "prepares the sandbox to use Golang profiler. Note that enabling profiler loosens the seccomp protection added to the sandbox (DO NOT USE IN PRODUCTION).")
diff --git a/runsc/sandbox/sandbox.go b/runsc/sandbox/sandbox.go
index 4ecb3887a..8b59fa512 100644
--- a/runsc/sandbox/sandbox.go
+++ b/runsc/sandbox/sandbox.go
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ func (s *Sandbox) Restore(cid string, spec *specs.Spec, conf *config.Config, fil
 	}
 
 	// If the platform needs a device FD we must pass it in.
-	if deviceFile, err := deviceFileForPlatform(conf.Platform); err != nil {
+	if deviceFile, err := deviceFileForPlatform(conf.Platform, conf.PlatformDevicePath); err != nil {
 		return err
 	} else if deviceFile != nil {
 		defer deviceFile.Close()
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ func (s *Sandbox) createSandboxProcess(conf *config.Config, args *Args, startSyn
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if deviceFile, err := gPlatform.OpenDevice(); err != nil {
+	if deviceFile, err := gPlatform.OpenDevice(conf.PlatformDevicePath); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("opening device file for platform %q: %v", conf.Platform, err)
 	} else if deviceFile != nil {
 		defer deviceFile.Close()
@@ -1407,13 +1407,14 @@ func (s *Sandbox) configureStdios(conf *config.Config, stdios []*os.File) error
 
 // deviceFileForPlatform opens the device file for the given platform. If the
 // platform does not need a device file, then nil is returned.
-func deviceFileForPlatform(name string) (*os.File, error) {
+// devicePath may be empty to use a sane platform-specific default.
+func deviceFileForPlatform(name, devicePath string) (*os.File, error) {
 	p, err := platform.Lookup(name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	f, err := p.OpenDevice()
+	f, err := p.OpenDevice(devicePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("opening device file for platform %q: %w", name, err)
 	}