diff --git a/lib/qemu.c b/lib/qemu.c
index 19b5aa336..9edbe8208 100644
--- a/lib/qemu.c
+++ b/lib/qemu.c
@@ -81,13 +81,7 @@ generic_qmp_test (guestfs_h *g, const char *qmp_command, char **outp)
   guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_unquoted (cmd, "QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=none ");
   guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_quoted (cmd, g->hv);
   guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_unquoted (cmd, " -display none");
-  guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_unquoted (cmd, " -cpu max");
-  guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_unquoted (cmd, " -machine ");
-  guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_quoted (cmd,
-#ifdef MACHINE_TYPE
-                                     MACHINE_TYPE ","
-#endif
-                                     "accel=kvm:hvf:tcg");
+  guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_unquoted (cmd, " -machine none,accel=kvm:hvf:tcg");
   guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_unquoted (cmd, " -qmp stdio");
   guestfs_int_cmd_add_string_unquoted (cmd, " -S");
   guestfs_int_cmd_clear_capture_errors (cmd);