diff --git a/tests/qtest/dbus-vmstate1.xml b/backends/dbus-vmstate1.xml
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/qtest/dbus-vmstate1.xml
rename to backends/dbus-vmstate1.xml
diff --git a/tests/qtest/meson.build b/tests/qtest/meson.build
index ebeac59b3f..913e987409 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/meson.build
+++ b/tests/qtest/meson.build
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ if dbus_daemon.found() and config_host.has_key('GDBUS_CODEGEN')
   #qtests_i386 += ['dbus-vmstate-test']
   dbus_vmstate1 = custom_target('dbus-vmstate description',
                                 output: ['dbus-vmstate1.h', 'dbus-vmstate1.c'],
-                                input: files('dbus-vmstate1.xml'),
+                                input: meson.source_root() / 'backends/dbus-vmstate1.xml',
                                 command: [config_host['GDBUS_CODEGEN'],
                                           '@INPUT@',
                                           '--interface-prefix', 'org.qemu',