diff --git a/arch/arc/Kconfig b/arch/arc/Kconfig
index 0cb97207db..545fc3e243 100644
--- a/arch/arc/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/Kconfig
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ config TARGET_TB100
 	bool "Support tb100"
 
 config TARGET_NSIM
-	bool "Support standalone nSIM & Free nSIM"
+	bool "Support ARC simulation & prototyping platforms"
 
 config TARGET_AXS101
 	bool "Support Synopsys Designware SDP board AXS101"
@@ -184,10 +184,10 @@ config TARGET_IOT_DEVKIT
 endchoice
 
 source "board/abilis/tb100/Kconfig"
-source "board/synopsys/Kconfig"
 source "board/synopsys/axs10x/Kconfig"
 source "board/synopsys/emsdp/Kconfig"
 source "board/synopsys/hsdk/Kconfig"
 source "board/synopsys/iot_devkit/Kconfig"
+source "board/synopsys/nsim/Kconfig"
 
 endmenu
diff --git a/arch/arc/dts/nsim.dts b/arch/arc/dts/nsim.dts
index a3f3964d35..a902c4c4fa 100644
--- a/arch/arc/dts/nsim.dts
+++ b/arch/arc/dts/nsim.dts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 / {
 	model = "snps,nsim";
+	interrupt-parent = <&core_intc>;
 
 	aliases {
 		console = &uart0;
@@ -20,6 +21,12 @@
 			clock-frequency = <70000000>;
 			u-boot,dm-pre-reloc;
 		};
+
+		core_intc: interrupt-controller {
+			compatible = "snps,archs-intc";
+			interrupt-controller;
+			#interrupt-cells = <1>;
+		};
 	};
 
 	uart0: serial at f0000000 {
@@ -30,4 +37,33 @@
 		clock-frequency = <70000000>;
 	};
 
+	virtio0: virtio at f0100000 {
+		compatible = "virtio,mmio";
+		reg = <0xf0100000 0x2000>;
+		interrupts = <31>;
+	};
+
+	virtio1: virtio at f0102000 {
+		compatible = "virtio,mmio";
+		reg = <0xf0102000 0x2000>;
+		interrupts = <32>;
+	};
+
+	virtio2: virtio at f0104000 {
+		compatible = "virtio,mmio";
+		reg = <0xf0104000 0x2000>;
+		interrupts = <33>;
+	};
+
+	virtio3: virtio at f0106000 {
+		compatible = "virtio,mmio";
+		reg = <0xf0106000 0x2000>;
+		interrupts = <34>;
+	};
+
+	virtio4: virtio at f0108000 {
+		compatible = "virtio,mmio";
+		reg = <0xf0108000 0x2000>;
+		interrupts = <35>;
+	};
 };
diff --git a/board/synopsys/Kconfig b/board/synopsys/nsim/Kconfig
similarity index 74%
rename from board/synopsys/Kconfig
rename to board/synopsys/nsim/Kconfig
index 27e5509b26..22287032bf 100644
--- a/board/synopsys/Kconfig
+++ b/board/synopsys/nsim/Kconfig
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 if TARGET_NSIM
 
+config SYS_BOARD
+	default "nsim"
+
 config SYS_VENDOR
 	default "synopsys"
 
diff --git a/board/synopsys/nsim/MAINTAINERS b/board/synopsys/nsim/MAINTAINERS
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ed4b9a9e78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/synopsys/nsim/MAINTAINERS
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+EM DEVELOPMENT KIT BOARD
+M:	Alexey Brodkin <abrodkin at synopsys.com>
+S:	Maintained
+F:	arch/arc/dts/nsim.dts
+F:	board/synopsys/nsim/
+F:	configs/nsim_*_defconfig
diff --git a/board/synopsys/nsim/Makefile b/board/synopsys/nsim/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6aaffffa73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/synopsys/nsim/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2020 Synopsys, Inc. All rights reserved.
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier:	GPL-2.0+
+#
+
+obj-y	+= nsim.o
diff --git a/board/synopsys/nsim/nsim.c b/board/synopsys/nsim/nsim.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f384f707f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/synopsys/nsim/nsim.c
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2020 Synopsys, Inc. All rights reserved.
+ */
+
+#include <common.h>
+#include <dm/device.h>
+#include <virtio_types.h>
+#include <virtio.h>
+
+int board_early_init_r(void)
+{
+	/*
+	 * Make sure virtio bus is enumerated so that peripherals
+	 * on the virtio bus can be discovered by their drivers
+	 */
+	virtio_init();
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int checkboard(void)
+{
+	printf("Board: ARC virtual or prototyping platform\n");
+	return 0;
+};
diff --git a/configs/nsim_hs38_defconfig b/configs/nsim_hs38_defconfig
index ce68de3251..6cd01a505b 100644
--- a/configs/nsim_hs38_defconfig
+++ b/configs/nsim_hs38_defconfig
@@ -9,14 +9,23 @@ CONFIG_DEBUG_UART=y
 CONFIG_BOOTDELAY=3
 CONFIG_USE_BOOTARGS=y
 CONFIG_BOOTARGS="console=ttyS0,115200n8"
+CONFIG_BOARD_EARLY_INIT_R=y
 CONFIG_SYS_PROMPT="nsim# "
+CONFIG_CMD_DM=y
 # CONFIG_CMD_SETEXPR is not set
+CONFIG_CMD_DHCP=y
 CONFIG_OF_CONTROL=y
 CONFIG_OF_EMBED=y
 CONFIG_DEFAULT_DEVICE_TREE="nsim"
 CONFIG_SYS_RELOC_GD_ENV_ADDR=y
 CONFIG_DM=y
+CONFIG_BLK=y
+CONFIG_HAVE_BLOCK_DEVICE=y
+CONFIG_DM_ETH=y
 CONFIG_DM_SERIAL=y
 CONFIG_DEBUG_UART_SHIFT=2
 CONFIG_SYS_NS16550=y
+CONFIG_VIRTIO_MMIO=y
+CONFIG_VIRTIO_NET=y
+CONFIG_VIRTIO_BLK=y
 CONFIG_USE_PRIVATE_LIBGCC=y
