diff --git a/m4/guestfs-qemu.m4 b/m4/guestfs-qemu.m4
index 3aa8705fd..44fa011b3 100644
--- a/m4/guestfs-qemu.m4
+++ b/m4/guestfs-qemu.m4
@@ -42,92 +42,4 @@ AS_IF([test "x$with_qemu" = "xno"],[
     test "x$QEMU" = "xno" && AC_MSG_ERROR([qemu must be installed])
 
     AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([QEMU],["$QEMU"],[Location of qemu binary.])
-
-    dnl Check that the chosen qemu has virtio-serial support.
-    dnl For historical reasons this can be disabled by setting
-    dnl vmchannel_test=no.
-    if test "x$vmchannel_test" != "xno"; then
-        AC_MSG_CHECKING([that $QEMU -help works])
-        if $QEMU -help >&AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD 2>&1; then
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-        else
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-            AC_MSG_FAILURE(
-[$QEMU -help: command failed.
-
-This could be a very old version of qemu, or qemu might not be
-working.
-])
-        fi
-
-        AC_MSG_CHECKING([that $QEMU -version works])
-        if $QEMU -version >&AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD 2>&1; then
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-        else
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-            AC_MSG_FAILURE(
-[$QEMU -version: command failed.
-
-This could be a very old version of qemu, or qemu might not be
-working.
-])
-        fi
-
-        AC_MSG_CHECKING([for $QEMU version >= 1])
-        if $QEMU -version | grep -sq 'version @<:@1-9@:>@'; then
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-        else
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-            AC_MSG_FAILURE([$QEMU version must be >= 1.0.])
-        fi
-
-	dnl Unfortunately $QEMU -device \? won't just work.  We probably
-	dnl need to add a cocktail of different arguments which differ
-	dnl on the various emulators.  Thanks, qemu.
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([what extra options we need to use for qemu feature tests])
-	QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE=
-	# Note: the order we test these matters.
-	for opt in "-machine virt" "-machine accel=kvm:tcg" "-display none"; do
-	    if $QEMU $QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE $opt -device \? >&AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD 2>&1; then
-	        QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE="$QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE $opt"
-	    fi
-	done
-	AC_MSG_RESULT([$QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE])
-
-        AC_MSG_CHECKING([that $QEMU $QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE -device ? works])
-        if $QEMU $QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE -device \? >&AS_MESSAGE_LOG_FD 2>&1; then
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-        else
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-            AC_MSG_FAILURE([$QEMU $QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE -device ? doesn't work.])
-        fi
-
-        AC_MSG_CHECKING([for virtio-serial support in $QEMU])
-        if $QEMU $QEMU_OPTIONS_FOR_CONFIGURE -device \? 2>&1 | grep -sq virtio-serial; then
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-        else
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-            AC_MSG_FAILURE(
-[I did not find virtio-serial support in
-$QEMU.
-
-virtio-serial support in qemu or KVM is essential for libguestfs
-to operate.
-
-Usually this means that you have to install a newer version of qemu
-and/or KVM.  Please read the relevant section in the README file for
-more information about this.
-
-You can override this test by setting the environment variable
-vmchannel_test=no
-
-However if you don't have the right support in your qemu, then this
-just delays the pain.
-
-If I am using the wrong qemu or you want to compile qemu from source
-and install it in another location, then you should configure with
-the --with-qemu option.
-])
-        fi
-    fi
 ])