diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml b/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
index 6531758d96..75222c4450 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.d/buildtest.yml
@@ -648,7 +648,8 @@ build-tci:
     - make check-tcg
 
 # Check our reduced build configurations
-# requires libfdt: aarch64, arm
+# requires libfdt: aarch64, arm, i386, x86_64
+# does not build without boards: i386, x86_64
 build-without-defaults:
   extends: .native_build_job_template
   needs:
diff --git a/configs/devices/i386-softmmu/default.mak b/configs/devices/i386-softmmu/default.mak
index 598c6646df..448e3e3b1b 100644
--- a/configs/devices/i386-softmmu/default.mak
+++ b/configs/devices/i386-softmmu/default.mak
@@ -24,9 +24,8 @@
 #CONFIG_VTD=n
 #CONFIG_SGX=n
 
-# Boards:
-#
-CONFIG_ISAPC=y
-CONFIG_I440FX=y
-CONFIG_Q35=y
-CONFIG_MICROVM=y
+# Boards are selected by default, uncomment to keep out of the build.
+# CONFIG_ISAPC=n
+# CONFIG_I440FX=n
+# CONFIG_Q35=n
+# CONFIG_MICROVM=n
diff --git a/hw/i386/Kconfig b/hw/i386/Kconfig
index a6ee052f9a..4362164962 100644
--- a/hw/i386/Kconfig
+++ b/hw/i386/Kconfig
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ config PC_ACPI
 
 config I440FX
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on I386
     imply E1000_PCI
     imply VMPORT
     imply VMMOUSE
@@ -81,6 +83,8 @@ config I440FX
 
 config ISAPC
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on I386
     imply VGA_ISA
     select ISA_BUS
     select PC
@@ -91,6 +95,8 @@ config ISAPC
 
 config Q35
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on I386
     imply VTD
     imply AMD_IOMMU
     imply E1000E_PCI_EXPRESS
@@ -108,6 +114,8 @@ config Q35
 
 config MICROVM
     bool
+    default y
+    depends on I386
     select SERIAL_ISA # for serial_hds_isa_init()
     select ISA_BUS
     select APIC
@@ -142,4 +150,4 @@ config VMMOUSE
 config XEN_EMU
     bool
     default y
-    depends on KVM && (I386 || X86_64)
+    depends on KVM && I386
diff --git a/target/i386/Kconfig b/target/i386/Kconfig
index 4689894639..ad9291d3b8 100644
--- a/target/i386/Kconfig
+++ b/target/i386/Kconfig
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ config I386
 
 config X86_64
     bool
+    select I386