diff --git a/meta/conf/machine/include/x86-base.inc b/meta/conf/machine/include/x86-base.inc
index f7c8a45fa7..5663145be9 100644
--- a/meta/conf/machine/include/x86-base.inc
+++ b/meta/conf/machine/include/x86-base.inc
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ SERIAL_CONSOLE ?= "115200 ttyS0"
 # kernel-related variables
 #
 PREFERRED_PROVIDER_virtual/kernel ??= "linux-yocto"
-PREFERRED_VERSION_linux-yocto ??= "3.0%"
+PREFERRED_VERSION_linux-yocto ??= "4.4%"
 
 #
 # XSERVER subcomponents, used to build the XSERVER variable