diff --git a/meta-arm-bsp/conf/machine/fvp-common/fvp.inc b/meta-arm-bsp/conf/machine/fvp-common/fvp.inc
index 606ea328..6bf33f39 100644
--- a/meta-arm-bsp/conf/machine/fvp-common/fvp.inc
+++ b/meta-arm-bsp/conf/machine/fvp-common/fvp.inc
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ DISK_IMG_PARTITION2_SIZE = "2048"
 DISK_IMG_PARTITION2_FSTYPE = "ext4"
 DISK_IMG_PARTITION2_CONTENT = "rootfs"
 
+# Empty third partition (8G - 2048M - 128M)
+DISK_IMG_PARTITION3_SIZE = "6016"
+DISK_IMG_PARTITION3_FSTYPE = ""
+DISK_IMG_PARTITION3_CONTENT = ""
+
 SERIAL_CONSOLES = "115200;ttyAMA0"
 
 PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/kernel = "linux-yocto"
diff --git a/meta-arm-bsp/recipes-devtools/fvp-common/files/start-foundation-armv8.sh b/meta-arm-bsp/recipes-devtools/fvp-common/files/start-foundation-armv8.sh
index 4e45a04c..ca39bee7 100755
--- a/meta-arm-bsp/recipes-devtools/fvp-common/files/start-foundation-armv8.sh
+++ b/meta-arm-bsp/recipes-devtools/fvp-common/files/start-foundation-armv8.sh
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ DISK_FILE=""
 FOUNDATION_PLAT_EXE="Foundation_Platform"
 
 # Foundation Platform arguments
+# 4 cores
+# gicv3 emulation (required for hardware virtualisation)
 FOUNDATION_PLAT_ARGS=" \
     --cores=4 \
-    --secure-memory \
-    --use-real-time \
     --gicv3"
 
 # Foundation Platform user arguments
diff --git a/meta-arm-bsp/recipes-devtools/fvp-common/files/start-fvp-base.sh b/meta-arm-bsp/recipes-devtools/fvp-common/files/start-fvp-base.sh
index b6e237be..1d3c206b 100755
--- a/meta-arm-bsp/recipes-devtools/fvp-common/files/start-fvp-base.sh
+++ b/meta-arm-bsp/recipes-devtools/fvp-common/files/start-fvp-base.sh
@@ -38,13 +38,11 @@ DISK_FILE=""
 FVPEXEC="FVP_Base_RevC-2xAEMv8A"
 
 # FVP arguments
+# enable virtio network
+# disable cache modelling to improve performances
 FVPARGS=" \
     -C bp.virtio_net.enabled=1 \
-    -C pctl.startup=0.0.0.0 \
-    -C bp.secure_memory=1 \
-    -C bp.tzc_400.diagnostics=1 \
-    -C cluster0.NUM_CORES=4 \
-    -C cluster1.NUM_CORES=4"
+    -C cache_state_modelled=0"
 
 # FVP user arguments
 EXTRA_ARGS=""