diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/vmexit.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/vmexit.c
index a47df27e54f..7f0cfe672c5 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/vmexit.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/aarch64/vmexit.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include <vmmapi.h>
 
@@ -132,6 +133,11 @@ vmexit_debug(struct vmctx *ctx __unused, struct vcpu *vcpu,
     struct vm_run *vmrun __unused)
 {
 	gdb_cpu_suspend(vcpu);
+	/*
+	 * XXX-MJ sleep for a short period to avoid chewing up the CPU in the
+	 * window between activation of the vCPU thread and the STARTUP IPI.
+	 */
+	usleep(1000);
 	return (VMEXIT_CONTINUE);
 }