diff --git a/pc-bios/s390-ccw/virtio.c b/pc-bios/s390-ccw/virtio.c
index 1d34e8c1aad782dad31fb406404200be464e8237..b33373495589a86246734f4d8adeb1833f9a8b10 100644
--- a/pc-bios/s390-ccw/virtio.c
+++ b/pc-bios/s390-ccw/virtio.c
@@ -97,7 +97,8 @@ static int run_ccw(VDev *vdev, int cmd, void *ptr, int len)
 
     /* start command processing */
     stsch_err(vdev->schid, &schib);
-    schib.scsw.ctrl = SCSW_FCTL_START_FUNC;
+    /* enable the subchannel for IPL device */
+    schib.pmcw.ena = 1;
     msch(vdev->schid, &schib);
 
     /* start subchannel command */