diff --git a/sdk/boards/ibex-arty-a7-100.patch b/sdk/boards/ibex-arty-a7-100.patch
index 3170507..e9ccd3d 100644
--- a/sdk/boards/ibex-arty-a7-100.patch
+++ b/sdk/boards/ibex-arty-a7-100.patch
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
     },
     {
       "op": "remove",
-      "path": "/simulator"
+      "path": "/run_command"
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/sdk/boards/ibex-safe-simulator.json b/sdk/boards/ibex-safe-simulator.json
index d959cb1..cdc1920 100644
--- a/sdk/boards/ibex-safe-simulator.json
+++ b/sdk/boards/ibex-safe-simulator.json
@@ -49,5 +49,5 @@
     "revoker" : "hardware",
     "stack_high_water_mark" : true,
     "simulation": true,
-    "simulator" : "${sdk}/../scripts/run-ibex-safe-sim.sh"
+    "run_command" : "${sdk}/../scripts/run-ibex-safe-sim.sh"
 }
diff --git a/sdk/boards/sail.json b/sdk/boards/sail.json
index 95e1689..fecd0b7 100644
--- a/sdk/boards/sail.json
+++ b/sdk/boards/sail.json
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@
     "tickrate_hz" : 10,
     "revoker" : "software",
     "stack_high_water_mark" : true,
-    "simulator" : "cheriot_sim",
+    "run_command" : "cheriot_sim",
     "simulation": true
 }
diff --git a/sdk/boards/sonata-0.2.json b/sdk/boards/sonata-0.2.json
index 9747b93..63b6657 100644
--- a/sdk/boards/sonata-0.2.json
+++ b/sdk/boards/sonata-0.2.json
@@ -84,6 +84,6 @@
     "tickrate_hz" : 100,
     "revoker" : "software",
     "stack_high_water_mark" : true,
-    "simulator" : "${sdk}/../scripts/run-sonata.sh",
+    "run_command" : "${sdk}/../scripts/run-sonata.sh",
     "simulation": false
 }
diff --git a/sdk/boards/sonata-prerelease.json b/sdk/boards/sonata-prerelease.json
index 0ca82b0..115f111 100644
--- a/sdk/boards/sonata-prerelease.json
+++ b/sdk/boards/sonata-prerelease.json
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
     "tickrate_hz" : 100,
     "revoker" : "hardware",
     "stack_high_water_mark" : true,
-    "simulator" : "${sdk}/../scripts/run-sonata-1.0.sh",
+    "run_command" : "${sdk}/../scripts/run-sonata-1.0.sh",
     "simulation": false,
     "interrupts": [
         {
diff --git a/sdk/boards/sonata-simulator.patch b/sdk/boards/sonata-simulator.patch
index 650e419..142eaa5 100644
--- a/sdk/boards/sonata-simulator.patch
+++ b/sdk/boards/sonata-simulator.patch
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     },
     {
       "op": "replace",
-      "path": "/simulator",
+      "path": "/run_command",
       "value": "${sdk}/../scripts/run-sonata-sim.sh"
     }
   ]
diff --git a/sdk/xmake.lua b/sdk/xmake.lua
index 2ea30e5..9e8002b 100644
--- a/sdk/xmake.lua
+++ b/sdk/xmake.lua
@@ -413,10 +413,10 @@
 		import("core.project.config")
 		local boarddir, boardfile = board_file_for_target(target)
 		local board = load_board_file(json, boardfile)
-		if not board.simulator then
+		if (not board.run_command) and (not board.simulator) then
 			raise("board description " .. boardfile .. " does not define a run command")
 		end
-		local simulator = board.simulator
+		local simulator = board.run_command or board.simulator
 		simulator = string.gsub(simulator, "${(%w*)}", { sdk=scriptdir, board=boarddir })
 		local firmware = target:targetfile()
 		local directory = path.directory(firmware)