diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 52d03293..14634c62 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 0.153
   - "my sr" is using the server side request collection to get right results
   - maintenance request offers to supersede old, but still open requests
+  - add build --vm-telnet option for getting debug shell in KVM builds
   OBS 2.7 only:
   - add "addchannels" and "enablechannel" commands
   - support new package instances on branching when using -N parameter
diff --git a/osc/build.py b/osc/build.py
index 039de980..53ddcf49 100644
--- a/osc/build.py
+++ b/osc/build.py
@@ -424,6 +424,7 @@ def main(apiurl, opts, argv):
     cache_dir  = None
     build_uid = ''
     vm_type = config['build-type']
+    vm_telnet = None
 
     build_descr = os.path.abspath(build_descr)
     build_type = os.path.splitext(build_descr)[1][1:]
@@ -502,6 +503,8 @@ def main(apiurl, opts, argv):
             return 1
     if opts.vm_type:
         vm_type = opts.vm_type
+    if opts.vm_telnet:
+        vm_telnet = opts.vm_telnet
     if opts.alternative_project:
         prj = opts.alternative_project
         pac = '_repository'
@@ -1013,6 +1016,10 @@ def main(apiurl, opts, argv):
             my_build_swap = build_root + '/swap'
 
         vm_options = [ '--vm-type=%s' % vm_type ]
+        if vm_telnet:
+            vm_options += [ '--vm-telnet=' + vm_telnet ]
+        if config['build-memory']:
+            vm_options += [ '--memory=' + config['build-memory'] ]
         if vm_type != 'lxc':
             vm_options += [ '--vm-disk=' + my_build_device ]
             vm_options += [ '--vm-swap=' + my_build_swap ]
diff --git a/osc/commandline.py b/osc/commandline.py
index 04af1eea..3f34a54b 100644
--- a/osc/commandline.py
+++ b/osc/commandline.py
@@ -5761,6 +5761,8 @@ Please submit there instead, or use --nodevelproject to force direct submission.
                   help='use hard links instead of a deep copied source')
     @cmdln.option('--vm-type', metavar='TYPE',
                   help='use VM type TYPE (e.g. kvm)')
+    @cmdln.option('--vm-telnet', metavar='TELNET',
+                  help='Launch a telnet server inside of VM build')
     @cmdln.option('--target', metavar='TARGET',
                   help='define target platform')
     @cmdln.option('--alternative-project', metavar='PROJECT',