diff --git a/scripts/qemu/README b/scripts/qemu/README
index d589b761ed..10bf64ebba 100644
--- a/scripts/qemu/README
+++ b/scripts/qemu/README
@@ -1,7 +1,20 @@
+qemu-arm poky image notes
+=========================
 
-qemu-arm quick setup notes
+Poky can generate qemu-system-arm bootable kernels and images with can
+then be used on an x86 desktop. There are two ways to run such images;
+
+Via ext2 filesystem image
 ==========================
 
+Run;
+
+qemu-ext2 <zimage-qemuarm>.bin <filesystem-qemuarm>.ext2
+
+
+Via NFS
+========
+
 As root;
 
 % apt-get install nfs-kernel-server
@@ -30,10 +43,11 @@ Finally, launch:
 
 ( change perms on /dev/net/tun to run as non root )
 
-
 Notes
 =====
 
+ - You can set QEMU_MEMORY env var to control amount of available memory
+   ( defaults to 64M )
  - There is a bug in qemu in that means occasionally it will use 100% cpu.
    You will need to restart it in this situation.
 
diff --git a/scripts/qemu/qemu-ext2 b/scripts/qemu/qemu-ext2
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..7402709c6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/qemu/qemu-ext2
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+if [ -z "$QEMU_MEMORY" ]
+then
+QEMU_MEMORY="64M"
+fi
+
+qemu-system-arm -kernel $1 -append "root=/dev/sda mem=$QEMU_MEMORY" -net nic,vlan=0 -net tap,vlan=0,ifname=tap0,script=./qemu-ifup -M versatilepb -hda $2
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/qemu/qemu-nfs b/scripts/qemu/qemu-nfs
index 92c7fc24b1..d827664c92 100755
--- a/scripts/qemu/qemu-nfs
+++ b/scripts/qemu/qemu-nfs
@@ -1,2 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-qemu-system-arm -kernel $1 -append "root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=192.168.7.1:/srv/qemuarm rw ip=192.168.7.2::192.168.7.1:255.255.255.0 " -net nic,vlan=0 -net tap,vlan=0,ifname=tap0,script=./qemu-ifup
+
+if [ -z "$QEMU_MEMORY" ]
+then
+QEMU_MEMORY="64M"
+fi
+
+qemu-system-arm -kernel $1 -append "root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=192.168.7.1:/srv/qemuarm rw ip=192.168.7.2::192.168.7.1:255.255.255.0 mem=$QEMU_MEMORY" -net nic,vlan=0 -net tap,vlan=0,ifname=tap0,script=./qemu-ifup