diff --git a/gdbstub.c b/gdbstub.c
index 0faca56..372aa67 100644
--- a/gdbstub.c
+++ b/gdbstub.c
@@ -355,6 +355,18 @@ static enum {
    remote gdb syscalls.  Otherwise use native file IO.  */
 int use_gdb_syscalls(void)
 {
+    if (semihosting_target == SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_NATIVE) {
+        if (gdb_syscall_mode == GDB_SYS_UNKNOWN) {
+            gdb_syscall_mode = GDB_SYS_DISABLED;
+        }
+        return FALSE;
+    } else if (semihosting_target == SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_GDB) {
+        if (gdb_syscall_mode == GDB_SYS_UNKNOWN) {
+            gdb_syscall_mode = GDB_SYS_ENABLED;
+        }
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+
     if (gdb_syscall_mode == GDB_SYS_UNKNOWN) {
         gdb_syscall_mode = (gdbserver_state ? GDB_SYS_ENABLED
                                             : GDB_SYS_DISABLED);
diff --git a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
index 9fea3bc..c145d94 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
@@ -127,7 +127,13 @@ extern int cursor_hide;
 extern int graphic_rotate;
 extern int no_quit;
 extern int no_shutdown;
+
 extern int semihosting_enabled;
+extern int semihosting_target;
+#define SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_AUTO     0
+#define SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_NATIVE   1
+#define SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_GDB      2
+
 extern int old_param;
 extern int boot_menu;
 extern bool boot_strict;
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index da9851d..3e81222 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -3216,7 +3216,17 @@ DEF("semihosting", 0, QEMU_OPTION_semihosting,
 STEXI
 @item -semihosting
 @findex -semihosting
-Semihosting mode (ARM, M68K, Xtensa only).
+Enable semihosting mode (ARM, M68K, Xtensa only).
+ETEXI
+DEF("semihosting-config", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_semihosting_config,
+    "-semihosting-config [enable=on|off,]target=native|gdb|auto   semihosting configuration\n",
+QEMU_ARCH_ARM | QEMU_ARCH_M68K | QEMU_ARCH_XTENSA | QEMU_ARCH_LM32)
+STEXI
+@item -semihosting-config [enable=on|off,]target=native|gdb|auto
+@findex -semihosting-config
+Enable semihosting and define where the semihosting calls will be addressed,
+to QEMU (@code{native}) or to GDB (@code{gdb}). The default is @code{auto}, which means
+@code{gdb} during debug sessions and @code{native} otherwise (ARM, M68K, Xtensa only).
 ETEXI
 DEF("old-param", 0, QEMU_OPTION_old_param,
     "-old-param      old param mode\n", QEMU_ARCH_ARM)
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index f4a6e5e..8844983 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ const char *watchdog;
 QEMUOptionRom option_rom[MAX_OPTION_ROMS];
 int nb_option_roms;
 int semihosting_enabled = 0;
+int semihosting_target = SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_AUTO;
 int old_param = 0;
 const char *qemu_name;
 int alt_grab = 0;
@@ -554,6 +555,22 @@ static QemuOptsList qemu_icount_opts = {
     },
 };
 
+static QemuOptsList qemu_semihosting_config_opts = {
+    .name = "semihosting-config",
+    .implied_opt_name = "enable",
+    .head = QTAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(qemu_semihosting_config_opts.head),
+    .desc = {
+        {
+            .name = "enable",
+            .type = QEMU_OPT_BOOL,
+        }, {
+            .name = "target",
+            .type = QEMU_OPT_STRING,
+        },
+        { /* end of list */ }
+    },
+};
+
 /**
  * Get machine options
  *
@@ -2811,6 +2828,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     qemu_add_opts(&qemu_name_opts);
     qemu_add_opts(&qemu_numa_opts);
     qemu_add_opts(&qemu_icount_opts);
+    qemu_add_opts(&qemu_semihosting_config_opts);
 
     runstate_init();
 
@@ -3618,6 +3636,37 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 		break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_semihosting:
                 semihosting_enabled = 1;
+                semihosting_target = SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_AUTO;
+                break;
+            case QEMU_OPTION_semihosting_config:
+                semihosting_enabled = 1;
+                opts = qemu_opts_parse(qemu_find_opts("semihosting-config"),
+                                           optarg, 0);
+                if (opts != NULL) {
+                    semihosting_enabled = qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "enable",
+                                                            true);
+                    const char *target = qemu_opt_get(opts, "target");
+                    if (target != NULL) {
+                        if (strcmp("native", target) == 0) {
+                            semihosting_target = SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_NATIVE;
+                        } else if (strcmp("gdb", target) == 0) {
+                            semihosting_target = SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_GDB;
+                        } else  if (strcmp("auto", target) == 0) {
+                            semihosting_target = SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_AUTO;
+                        } else {
+                            fprintf(stderr, "Unsupported semihosting-config"
+                                    " %s\n",
+                                optarg);
+                            exit(1);
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        semihosting_target = SEMIHOSTING_TARGET_AUTO;
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    fprintf(stderr, "Unsupported semihosting-config %s\n",
+                            optarg);
+                    exit(1);
+                }
                 break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_tdf:
                 fprintf(stderr, "Warning: user space PIT time drift fix "
