diff --git a/repos/ports/ports/virtualbox.hash b/repos/ports/ports/virtualbox.hash
index 6f9c7b3b86..82d95f74d8 100644
--- a/repos/ports/ports/virtualbox.hash
+++ b/repos/ports/ports/virtualbox.hash
@@ -1 +1 @@
-780be1d09ef36e1c287721473830c327cf2276a4
+2ee908cb3d7d8e0189158b7b0b55bda5ba406654
diff --git a/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/README b/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/README
index ab3949e55f..7ec2f238a3 100644
--- a/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/README
+++ b/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/README
@@ -8,3 +8,17 @@ The virtual XHCI controller can be enabled with the following
 configuration option:
 
 <config xhci="yes">
+
+IOAPIC
+======
+
+The virtual PCI model delivers IRQs to the PIC by default and to the IOAPIC
+only if the guest operating system selected the IOAPIC with the '_PIC' ACPI
+method and if it called the '_PRT' ACPI method afterwards. When running a
+guest operating system which uses the IOAPIC, but does not call these ACPI
+methods (for example Genode/NOVA), the configuration option
+
+<config force_ioapic="yes">
+
+enforces the delivery of PCI IRQs to the IOAPIC.
+
diff --git a/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/devices.cc b/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/devices.cc
index ba6af53d30..6c81db1bfb 100644
--- a/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/devices.cc
+++ b/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/devices.cc
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 /* Genode includes */
 #include <base/printf.h>
+#include <os/attached_rom_dataspace.h>
 
 /* VirtualBox includes */
 #include <VBoxDD.h>
@@ -62,3 +63,25 @@ extern "C" int VBoxDevicesRegister(PPDMDEVREGCB pCallbacks, uint32_t u32Version)
 
 	return VINF_SUCCESS;
 }
+
+/*
+ * The virtual PCI model delivers IRQs to the PIC by default and to the IOAPIC
+ * only if the guest operating system selected the IOAPIC with the '_PIC' ACPI
+ * method and if it called the '_PRT' ACPI method afterwards. When running a
+ * guest operating system which uses the IOAPIC, but does not call these ACPI
+ * methods (for example Genode/NOVA), IRQ delivery to the IOAPIC can be
+ * enforced with the 'force_ioapic' configuration option.
+ *
+ * References:
+ *   - 'pciSetIrqInternal()' in DevPCI.cpp
+ *   - '_PIC' and '_PRT' ACPI methods in vbox.dsl
+ */
+bool force_ioapic()
+{
+	try {
+		Genode::Attached_rom_dataspace config("config");
+		return config.xml().attribute_value("force_ioapic", false);
+	} catch (Genode::Rom_connection::Rom_connection_failed) {
+		return false;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/patches/force_ioapic.patch b/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/patches/force_ioapic.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..587b2a0541
--- /dev/null
+++ b/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/patches/force_ioapic.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+Deliver PCI IRQs to the IOAPIC if the 'force_ioapic' configuration option is set.
+
+From: Christian Prochaska <christian.prochaska@genode-labs.com>
+
+Issue #2029
+---
+ src/app/virtualbox/src/VBox/Devices/Bus/DevPCI.cpp |    4 +++-
+ 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
+
+diff --git a/src/app/virtualbox/src/VBox/Devices/Bus/DevPCI.cpp b/src/app/virtualbox/src/VBox/Devices/Bus/DevPCI.cpp
+index c454d8b..35061d5 100644
+--- a/src/app/virtualbox/src/VBox/Devices/Bus/DevPCI.cpp
++++ b/src/app/virtualbox/src/VBox/Devices/Bus/DevPCI.cpp
+@@ -663,7 +663,9 @@ static void pciSetIrqInternal(PPCIGLOBALS pGlobals, uint8_t uDevFn, PPCIDEVICE p
+      * is opened to route PCI interrupts directly to the I/O APIC and bypass the PIC.
+      * See the \_SB_.PCI0._PRT method in vbox.dsl.
+      */
+-    const bool  fIsApicEnabled = pGlobals->fUseIoApic && pbCfg[0xde] == 0xbe && pbCfg[0xad] == 0xef;
++    extern bool force_ioapic();
++    const bool  fIsApicEnabled = pGlobals->fUseIoApic &&
++                                 (force_ioapic() || (pbCfg[0xde] == 0xbe && pbCfg[0xad] == 0xef));
+     int pic_irq, pic_level;
+ 
+     /* Check if the state changed. */
diff --git a/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/patches/series b/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/patches/series
index 97e706a171..601556490d 100644
--- a/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/patches/series
+++ b/repos/ports/src/virtualbox/patches/series
@@ -25,3 +25,4 @@ posix.patch
 hostservice.patch
 vbox_dd.patch
 ide.patch
+force_ioapic.patch