diff --git a/backends/hostmem-shm.c b/backends/hostmem-shm.c
index f66211a2ec..806e2670e0 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-shm.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-shm.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ have_fd:
     /* Let's do the same as memory-backend-ram,share=on would do. */
     ram_flags = RAM_SHARED;
     ram_flags |= backend->reserve ? 0 : RAM_NORESERVE;
+    ram_flags |= backend->guest_memfd ? RAM_GUEST_MEMFD : 0;
 
     return memory_region_init_ram_from_fd(&backend->mr, OBJECT(backend),
                                               backend_name, backend->size,