diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10040_quadx b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10040_sihsim_quadx
similarity index 99%
rename from ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10040_quadx
rename to ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10040_sihsim_quadx
index 8780575f6b..eaaf52458e 100644
--- a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10040_quadx
+++ b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10040_sihsim_quadx
@@ -41,4 +41,3 @@ param set-default PWM_MAIN_FUNC3 103
 param set-default PWM_MAIN_FUNC4 104
 
 param set SIH_VEHICLE_TYPE 0
-
diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10041_airplane b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10041_sihsim_airplane
similarity index 100%
rename from ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10041_airplane
rename to ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10041_sihsim_airplane
diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10042_xvert b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10042_sihsim_xvert
similarity index 100%
rename from ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10042_xvert
rename to ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/10042_sihsim_xvert
diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/CMakeLists.txt b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/CMakeLists.txt
index 7bfdcade10..bc8ec01923 100644
--- a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ px4_add_romfs_files(
 	10018_iris_foggy_lidar
 	10019_omnicopter
 	10030_px4vision
-	10040_quadx
-	10041_airplane
-	10042_xvert
 	1010_iris_opt_flow
 	1010_iris_opt_flow.post
 	1011_iris_irlock
@@ -83,4 +80,8 @@ px4_add_romfs_files(
 
 	6011_typhoon_h480
 	6011_typhoon_h480.post
+
+	10040_sihsim_quadx
+	10041_sihsim_airplane
+	10042_sihsim_xvert
 )
diff --git a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/px4-rc.simulator b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/px4-rc.simulator
index 45aa39ab8c..8716fd70df 100644
--- a/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/px4-rc.simulator
+++ b/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/px4-rc.simulator
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ param set-default IMU_INTEG_RATE 250
 
 if [ "$PX4_SIMULATOR" = "sihsim" ] || [ "$(param show -q SYS_AUTOSTART)" -eq "0" ]; then
 
+	echo "INFO  [init] SIH simulator"
+
 	if simulator_sih start; then
 
 		sensor_baro_sim start
diff --git a/platforms/posix/Debug/launch_sitl.json.in b/platforms/posix/Debug/launch_sitl.json.in
index daff77ea1c..0ae3d0e539 100644
--- a/platforms/posix/Debug/launch_sitl.json.in
+++ b/platforms/posix/Debug/launch_sitl.json.in
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
             }
         },
         {
-            "name": "SITL (sihsim 10040_quadx)",
+            "name": "SITL (sihsim_quadx SYS_AUTOSTART=10040)",
             "type": "cppdbg",
             "request": "launch",
             "program": "${command:cmake.launchTargetPath}",
@@ -57,15 +57,13 @@
             "cwd": "${command:cmake.buildDirectory}/rootfs",
             "environment": [
                 {
-                    "name": "PX4_SIM_MODEL",
-                    "value": "quadx"
+                    "name": "PX4_SYS_AUTOSTART",
+                    "value": "10040"
                 }
             ],
-            "externalConsole": false,
             "postDebugTask": "px4_sitl_cleanup",
             "linux": {
                 "MIMode": "gdb",
-                "externalConsole": false,
                 "setupCommands": [
                     {
                         "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
@@ -81,7 +79,6 @@
             },
             "osx": {
                 "MIMode": "lldb",
-                "externalConsole": true,
                 "setupCommands": [
                     {
                         "text": "pro hand -p true -s false -n false SIGCONT",
diff --git a/src/modules/simulation/simulator_sih/CMakeLists.txt b/src/modules/simulation/simulator_sih/CMakeLists.txt
index a30565ff40..f0328024ff 100644
--- a/src/modules/simulation/simulator_sih/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/modules/simulation/simulator_sih/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -54,9 +54,45 @@ if(PX4_PLATFORM MATCHES "posix")
 		xvert
 	)
 
+	# find corresponding airframes
+	file(GLOB sihsim_airframes
+		RELATIVE ${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes
+		${PX4_SOURCE_DIR}/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes/*_sihsim_*
+	)
+
+	# remove any .post files
+	foreach(sihsim_airframe IN LISTS sihsim_airframes)
+		if(sihsim_airframe MATCHES ".post")
+			list(REMOVE_ITEM sihsim_airframes ${sihsim_airframe})
+		endif()
+	endforeach()
+	list(REMOVE_DUPLICATES sihsim_airframes)
+
 	foreach(model ${models})
+
+		# match model to airframe
+		set(airframe_model_only)
+		set(airframe_sys_autostart)
+		set(sihsim_airframe_found)
+		foreach(sihsim_airframe IN LISTS sihsim_airframes)
+
+			string(REGEX REPLACE ".*_sihsim_" "" airframe_model_only ${sihsim_airframe})
+			string(REGEX REPLACE "_sihsim_.*" "" airframe_sys_autostart ${sihsim_airframe})
+
+			if(model STREQUAL ${airframe_model_only})
+				set(sihsim_airframe_found ${sihsim_airframe})
+				break()
+			endif()
+		endforeach()
+
+		if(sihsim_airframe_found)
+			#message(STATUS "sihsim model: ${model} (${airframe_model_only}), airframe: ${sihsim_airframe_found}, SYS_AUTOSTART: ${airframe_sys_autostart}")
+		else()
+			message(WARNING "sihsim missing model: ${model} (${airframe_model_only}), airframe: ${sihsim_airframe_found}, SYS_AUTOSTART: ${airframe_sys_autostart}")
+		endif()
+
 		add_custom_target(sihsim_${model}
-			COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E env PX4_SIM_MODEL=${model} PX4_SIMULATOR=sihsim $<TARGET_FILE:px4>
+			COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E env PX4_SIM_MODEL=sihsim_${model} PX4_SIMULATOR=sihsim $<TARGET_FILE:px4>
 			WORKING_DIRECTORY ${SITL_WORKING_DIR}
 			USES_TERMINAL
 			DEPENDS px4