diff --git a/support/scripts/boot-qemu-image.py b/support/scripts/boot-qemu-image.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..2c1afba398
--- /dev/null
+++ b/support/scripts/boot-qemu-image.py
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+# This script expect to run from the Buildroot top directory.
+
+import pexpect
+import sys
+import os
+
+
+def main():
+    if not (len(sys.argv) == 2):
+        print("Error: incorrect number of arguments")
+        print("""Usage: boot-qemu-image.py <qemu_arch_defconfig>""")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # Ignore non Qemu defconfig
+    if not sys.argv[1].startswith('qemu_'):
+        sys.exit(0)
+
+    qemu_start = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), 'output/images/start-qemu.sh')
+
+    child = pexpect.spawn(qemu_start, ['serial-only'],
+                          timeout=5, encoding='utf-8',
+                          env={"QEMU_AUDIO_DRV": "none"})
+
+    # We want only stdout into the log to avoid double echo
+    child.logfile = sys.stdout
+
+    try:
+        child.expect(["buildroot login:", pexpect.TIMEOUT], timeout=60)
+    except pexpect.EOF as e:
+        # Some emulations require a fork of qemu-system, which may be
+        # missing on the system, and is not provided by Buildroot.
+        # In this case, spawn above will succeed at starting the wrapper
+        # start-qemu.sh, but that one will fail (exit with 127) in such
+        # a situation.
+        exit = [int(l.split(' ')[1])
+                for l in e.value.splitlines()
+                if l.startswith('exitstatus: ')]
+        if len(exit) and exit[0] == 127:
+            print('qemu-start.sh could not find the qemu binary')
+            sys.exit(0)
+        print("Connection problem, exiting.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except pexpect.TIMEOUT:
+        print("System did not boot in time, exiting.")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    child.sendline("root\r")
+
+    try:
+        child.expect(["# ", pexpect.TIMEOUT], timeout=60)
+    except pexpect.EOF:
+        print("Cannot connect to shell")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except pexpect.TIMEOUT:
+        print("Timeout while waiting for shell")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    child.sendline("poweroff\r")
+
+    try:
+        child.expect(["System halted", pexpect.TIMEOUT], timeout=60)
+        child.expect(pexpect.EOF)
+    except pexpect.EOF:
+        pass
+    except pexpect.TIMEOUT:
+        # Qemu may not exit properly after "System halted", ignore.
+        print("Cannot halt machine")
+
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()