diff --git a/virtcontainers/qemu.go b/virtcontainers/qemu.go
index b56c273da0..65795f5998 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/qemu.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/qemu.go
@@ -489,6 +489,7 @@ func (q *qemu) createSandbox(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS NetworkNa
 		NoUserConfig: true,
 		NoDefaults:   true,
 		NoGraphic:    true,
+		NoReboot:     true,
 		Daemonize:    true,
 		MemPrealloc:  q.config.MemPrealloc,
 		HugePages:    q.config.HugePages,
diff --git a/virtcontainers/qemu_test.go b/virtcontainers/qemu_test.go
index 88f55f0e32..cc03d81dbe 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/qemu_test.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/qemu_test.go
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ func TestQemuKnobs(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.NoUserConfig, true)
 	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.NoDefaults, true)
 	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.NoGraphic, true)
+	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.NoReboot, true)
 }
 
 func testQemuAddDevice(t *testing.T, devInfo interface{}, devType deviceType, expected []govmmQemu.Device) {