diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index d9be5752c..076d26b5b 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -2412,6 +2412,9 @@ ram_addr_t qemu_ram_alloc(ram_addr_t size)
     new_block = qemu_malloc(sizeof(*new_block));
 
     new_block->host = qemu_vmalloc(size);
+#ifdef MADV_MERGEABLE
+    madvise(new_block->host, size, MADV_MERGEABLE);
+#endif
     new_block->offset = last_ram_offset;
     new_block->length = size;