diff --git a/bochs/iodev/usb/uhci_core.cc b/bochs/iodev/usb/uhci_core.cc
index 4e8d4264ac..7358e35ba6 100644
--- a/bochs/iodev/usb/uhci_core.cc
+++ b/bochs/iodev/usb/uhci_core.cc
@@ -871,6 +871,10 @@ int bx_uhci_core_c::event_handler(int event, void *ptr, int port)
       break;
 
     // host controller events start here
+    case USB_EVENT_DEFAULT_SPEED:
+      // return default speed for specified port number
+      return USB_SPEED_FULL;
+      
     case USB_EVENT_CHECK_SPEED:
       if (ptr != NULL) {
         usb_device_c *usb_device = (usb_device_c *) ptr;
diff --git a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_common.cc b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_common.cc
index 58a7ee8714..7207adb7ba 100644
--- a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_common.cc
+++ b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_common.cc
@@ -157,7 +157,12 @@ static const char *usb_speed[4] = {
 
 void bx_usbdev_ctl_c::parse_port_options(usb_device_c *device, bx_list_c *portconf)
 {
-  int speed = device->get_default_speed(USB_SPEED_FULL);  // try to default to FULL speed if parameter not given.
+  // if the speed option parameter is not given:
+  //  first try to default to speed of controller
+  //  then adjust to default max speed of device
+  // if the speed option parameter is given, this will be overwritten anyway
+  int speed = device->hc_event(USB_EVENT_DEFAULT_SPEED, device);
+      speed = device->get_default_speed(speed);
   char *opts[16];
 
   memset(opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
diff --git a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_common.h b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_common.h
index 8454edcdec..89c733de64 100644
--- a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_common.h
+++ b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_common.h
@@ -142,7 +142,8 @@ typedef struct USBPacket USBPacket;
 #define USB_EVENT_WAKEUP        0
 #define USB_EVENT_ASYNC         1
 // controller events
-#define USB_EVENT_CHECK_SPEED  10
+#define USB_EVENT_DEFAULT_SPEED  10
+#define USB_EVENT_CHECK_SPEED    11
 
 // set this to 1 to monitor the TD's toggle bit
 // setting to 0 will speed up the emualtion slightly
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ class BOCHSAPI usb_device_c : public logfunctions {
   int get_default_speed(int speed) {
     if ((speed >= d.minspeed) && (speed <= d.maxspeed))
       return speed;
-    return d.minspeed; // will be no more than full-speed
+    return BX_MIN(speed, d.maxspeed);
   }
   
   // return information for the specified ep of the current device
diff --git a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_ehci.cc b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_ehci.cc
index acfe3de9a2..c4265d0770 100644
--- a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_ehci.cc
+++ b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_ehci.cc
@@ -1324,6 +1324,10 @@ int bx_usb_ehci_c::event_handler(int event, void *ptr, int port)
       break;
 
     // host controller events start here
+    case USB_EVENT_DEFAULT_SPEED:
+      // return default speed for specified port number
+      return USB_SPEED_HIGH;
+      
     case USB_EVENT_CHECK_SPEED:
       if (ptr != NULL) {
         usb_device_c *usb_device = (usb_device_c *) ptr;
diff --git a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_ohci.cc b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_ohci.cc
index 3efe93bb98..5fd2b8e709 100644
--- a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_ohci.cc
+++ b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_ohci.cc
@@ -1233,6 +1233,10 @@ int bx_usb_ohci_c::event_handler(int event, void *ptr, int port)
       break;
 
     // host controller events start here
+    case USB_EVENT_DEFAULT_SPEED:
+      // return default speed for specified port number
+      return USB_SPEED_FULL;
+      
     case USB_EVENT_CHECK_SPEED:
       if (ptr != NULL) {
         usb_device_c *usb_device = (usb_device_c *) ptr;
diff --git a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_xhci.cc b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_xhci.cc
index ee2080bb52..c5fa770f60 100644
--- a/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_xhci.cc
+++ b/bochs/iodev/usb/usb_xhci.cc
@@ -2149,6 +2149,15 @@ int bx_usb_xhci_c::event_handler(int event, void *ptr, int port)
       break;
       
     // host controller events start here
+    case USB_EVENT_DEFAULT_SPEED:
+      // return default speed for specified port number
+      if (BX_XHCI_THIS hub.usb_port[port].is_usb3 == 1) {
+        // return super-speed
+        return USB_SPEED_SUPER;
+      }
+      // else return high-speed
+      return USB_SPEED_HIGH;
+      
     case USB_EVENT_CHECK_SPEED:
       // all super-speed device must be on the first half port register sets,
       //  while all non-super-speed device must be on the second half.