diff --git a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
index 9eb3d2ff14..1f819648a4 100644
--- a/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
+++ b/build_library/vm_image_util.sh
@@ -115,9 +115,6 @@ IMG_DEFAULT_CONF_FORMAT=
 # Bundle configs and disk image into some archive
 IMG_DEFAULT_BUNDLE_FORMAT=
 
-# Memory size to use in any config files
-IMG_DEFAULT_MEM=1024
-
 # Number of CPUs to use in any config files
 IMG_DEFAULT_CPUS=2
 
@@ -331,6 +328,19 @@ set_vm_type() {
     return 1
 }
 
+# Print memory size to use in any config files
+get_vm_mem() {
+    local board="$1"
+    local vm_mem="$(_get_vm_opt MEM)"
+    if [[ -z ${vm_mem} ]]; then
+        case "$board" in
+            arm64-usr) vm_mem="2048";;
+            *)         vm_mem="1024";;
+        esac
+    fi
+    echo "${vm_mem}"
+}
+
 # Validate and set the oem package, colon delimited USE optional
 set_vm_oem_pkg() {
     local oem_pkg="${1%:*}" oem_use="${1##*:}"
diff --git a/image_to_vm.sh b/image_to_vm.sh
index b9ea8b5f87..444acc2fc8 100755
--- a/image_to_vm.sh
+++ b/image_to_vm.sh
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ DEFINE_string from "" \
   "Directory containing coreos_developer_image.bin or coreos_production_image.bin."
 DEFINE_string disk_layout "" \
   "The disk layout type to use for this image."
-DEFINE_integer mem "${DEFAULT_MEM}" \
+DEFINE_integer mem "" \
   "Memory size for the vm config in MBs."
 DEFINE_boolean dev_image "${FLAGS_FALSE}" \
   "Use the development image instead of the default production image."
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ if [ -z "${FLAGS_board}" ] ; then
   die_notrace "--board is required."
 fi
 
+if [[ -z "${FLAGS_mem}" ]]; then
+  FLAGS_mem=$(get_vm_mem ${FLAGS_board})
+fi
+
 # If downloading packages is enabled ensure the board is configured properly.
 if [[ ${FLAGS_getbinpkg} -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]]; then
   "${SRC_ROOT}/scripts/setup_board" --board="${FLAGS_board}" \