diff --git a/hw/pc.c b/hw/pc.c
index 815d47fe57..eef120e0ee 100644
--- a/hw/pc.c
+++ b/hw/pc.c
@@ -110,7 +110,10 @@ static void cmos_init(int ram_size, int boot_device)
 
     /* set the CMOS date */
     time(&ti);
-    tm = gmtime(&ti);
+    if (rtc_utc)
+        tm = gmtime(&ti);
+    else
+        tm = localtime(&ti);
     rtc_set_date(s, tm);
 
     val = to_bcd(s, (tm->tm_year / 100) + 19);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 6faf19f0e0..445066fa06 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ int vm_running;
 int audio_enabled = 0;
 int pci_enabled = 0;
 int prep_enabled = 0;
+int rtc_utc = 1;
 
 /***********************************************************/
 /* x86 ISA bus support */
@@ -2015,6 +2016,7 @@ enum {
     QEMU_OPTION_no_code_copy,
     QEMU_OPTION_pci,
     QEMU_OPTION_prep,
+    QEMU_OPTION_localtime,
 };
 
 typedef struct QEMUOption {
@@ -2065,6 +2067,7 @@ const QEMUOption qemu_options[] = {
 #ifdef TARGET_PPC
     { "prep", 0, QEMU_OPTION_prep },
 #endif
+    { "localtime", 0, QEMU_OPTION_localtime },
     { NULL },
 };
 
@@ -2341,6 +2344,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             case QEMU_OPTION_prep:
                 prep_enabled = 1;
                 break;
+            case QEMU_OPTION_localtime:
+                rtc_utc = 0;
+                break;
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/vl.h b/vl.h
index 05b0a1f4df..54f6cdd292 100644
--- a/vl.h
+++ b/vl.h
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ void vm_stop(int reason);
 extern int audio_enabled;
 extern int ram_size;
 extern int bios_size;
+extern int rtc_utc;
 
 /* XXX: make it dynamic */
 #if defined (TARGET_PPC)