diff --git a/local/recipes/system/cpufreqd/source/src/main.rs b/local/recipes/system/cpufreqd/source/src/main.rs
index 6830a88ac7..8ea55d58e2 100644
--- a/local/recipes/system/cpufreqd/source/src/main.rs
+++ b/local/recipes/system/cpufreqd/source/src/main.rs
@@ -463,7 +463,10 @@ fn main() {
             // P0->P1->P0 oscillation on idle systems (QEMU and
             // real hardware with stable 0% load) where the governor
             // would otherwise toggle the state every poll cycle.
-            if n != c.current_idx {
+            // On read-only hosts (detected VM/QEMU) writes cannot
+            // take effect, so there is no point accumulating dwell
+            // — skip the check entirely.
+            if !c.read_only && n != c.current_idx {
                 if n == c.dwell_target {
                     c.dwell = c.dwell.saturating_add(1);
                 } else {
@@ -474,22 +477,28 @@ fn main() {
                     continue; // not enough polls at this target yet
                 }
             } else {
-                // Same state as last poll: reset dwell counter (no transition
-                // was requested so dwell stays at 0).
+                // Same state as last poll (or read-only host): reset
+                // dwell counter (no transition was requested so dwell
+                // stays at 0).
                 c.dwell = 0;
             }
             if n != c.current_idx && n < c.pstates.len() {
+                let prev_idx = c.current_idx;
                 let prev_freq = c.pstates[c.current_idx].freq_khz;
                 let next_freq = c.pstates[n].freq_khz;
                 let l_pct = l * 100.0;
                 match c.mode {
                     PstateMode::Hwp => {
                         apply_pstate(c, n);
-                        info!("CPU{} HWP→{}% ({}→{} kHz, load={:.0}%)", c.id, c.hwp_max.saturating_sub(n as u8 * (c.hwp_max - c.hwp_min) / c.pstates.len().saturating_sub(1).max(1) as u8), prev_freq, next_freq, l_pct);
+                        if c.current_idx != prev_idx {
+                            info!("CPU{} HWP→{}% ({}→{} kHz, load={:.0}%)", c.id, c.hwp_max.saturating_sub(n as u8 * (c.hwp_max - c.hwp_min) / c.pstates.len().saturating_sub(1).max(1) as u8), prev_freq, next_freq, l_pct);
+                        }
                     }
                     PstateMode::LegacyPerfCtl => {
                         apply_pstate(c, n);
-                        info!("CPU{}: P{}→P{} ({}→{} kHz, load={:.0}%)", c.id, c.current_idx, n, prev_freq, next_freq, l_pct);
+                        if c.current_idx != prev_idx {
+                            info!("CPU{}: P{}→P{} ({}→{} kHz, load={:.0}%)", c.id, prev_idx, n, prev_freq, next_freq, l_pct);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }