diff --git a/gnu/build/vm.scm b/gnu/build/vm.scm
index 746808515f..83ad489cc7 100644
--- a/gnu/build/vm.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/vm.scm
@@ -477,6 +477,11 @@ GRUB configuration and OS-DRV as the stuff in it."
                 "mnt=/tmp/root/mnt"
                 "-path-list" "-"
                 "--"
+
+                ;; XXX: Add padding to avoid I/O errors on i686:
+                ;; <https://bugs.gnu.org/33639>.
+                "-padding" "10m"
+
                 "-volid" (string-upcase volume-id)
                 (if volume-uuid
                     `("-volume_date" "uuid"