diff --git a/coverage_config_x86_64.json b/coverage_config_x86_64.json
index 27f86931..898d1bf0 100644
--- a/coverage_config_x86_64.json
+++ b/coverage_config_x86_64.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "coverage_score": 74.7,
+  "coverage_score": 74.8,
   "exclude_path": "",
   "crate_features": ""
 }
diff --git a/src/loader/x86_64/elf/mod.rs b/src/loader/x86_64/elf/mod.rs
index 34ea6092..4b6de40b 100644
--- a/src/loader/x86_64/elf/mod.rs
+++ b/src/loader/x86_64/elf/mod.rs
@@ -236,10 +236,11 @@ impl KernelLoader for Elf {
                 .read_exact_from(mem_offset, kernel_image, phdr.p_filesz as usize)
                 .map_err(|_| Error::ReadKernelImage)?;
 
-            loader_result.kernel_end = mem_offset
+            let kernel_end = mem_offset
                 .raw_value()
                 .checked_add(phdr.p_memsz as GuestUsize)
                 .ok_or(KernelLoaderError::MemoryOverflow)?;
+            loader_result.kernel_end = std::cmp::max(loader_result.kernel_end, kernel_end);
         }
 
         // elf image has no setup_header which is defined for bzImage