diff --git a/chardev/char-socket.c b/chardev/char-socket.c
index 743b7b11cd..728342dc9f 100644
--- a/chardev/char-socket.c
+++ b/chardev/char-socket.c
@@ -1047,6 +1047,12 @@ static bool qmp_chardev_validate_socket(ChardevSocket *sock,
             error_setg(errp, "%s", "Websocket client is not implemented");
             return false;
         }
+        if (sock->has_wait) {
+            error_setg(errp, "%s",
+                       "'wait' option is incompatible with "
+                       "socket in client connect mode");
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
     return true;
@@ -1220,7 +1226,11 @@ static void qemu_chr_parse_socket(QemuOpts *opts, ChardevBackend *backend,
     sock->tn3270 = is_tn3270;
     sock->has_websocket = true;
     sock->websocket = is_websock;
-    sock->has_wait = true;
+    /*
+     * We have different default to QMP for 'wait' when 'server'
+     * is set, hence we can't just check for existence of 'wait'
+     */
+    sock->has_wait = qemu_opt_find(opts, "wait") || is_listen;
     sock->wait = is_waitconnect;
     sock->has_reconnect = qemu_opt_find(opts, "reconnect");
     sock->reconnect = reconnect;
diff --git a/tests/ivshmem-test.c b/tests/ivshmem-test.c
index 4911b69317..942ddc9192 100644
--- a/tests/ivshmem-test.c
+++ b/tests/ivshmem-test.c
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ static void setup_vm_with_server(IVState *s, int nvectors)
 {
     char *cmd;
 
-    cmd = g_strdup_printf("-chardev socket,id=chr0,path=%s,nowait "
+    cmd = g_strdup_printf("-chardev socket,id=chr0,path=%s "
                           "-device ivshmem-doorbell,chardev=chr0,vectors=%d",
                           tmpserver, nvectors);
 
diff --git a/tests/libqtest.c b/tests/libqtest.c
index 6fb30855fa..c49b85482d 100644
--- a/tests/libqtest.c
+++ b/tests/libqtest.c
@@ -232,9 +232,9 @@ QTestState *qtest_init_without_qmp_handshake(const char *extra_args)
     qtest_add_abrt_handler(kill_qemu_hook_func, s);
 
     command = g_strdup_printf("exec %s "
-                              "-qtest unix:%s,nowait "
+                              "-qtest unix:%s "
                               "-qtest-log %s "
-                              "-chardev socket,path=%s,nowait,id=char0 "
+                              "-chardev socket,path=%s,id=char0 "
                               "-mon chardev=char0,mode=control "
                               "-machine accel=qtest "
                               "-display none "
diff --git a/tests/test-filter-redirector.c b/tests/test-filter-redirector.c
index 9ca9feabf8..6dc21dd4fb 100644
--- a/tests/test-filter-redirector.c
+++ b/tests/test-filter-redirector.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ static void test_redirector_tx(void)
         "-device %s,netdev=qtest-bn0,id=qtest-e0 "
         "-chardev socket,id=redirector0,path=%s,server,nowait "
         "-chardev socket,id=redirector1,path=%s,server,nowait "
-        "-chardev socket,id=redirector2,path=%s,nowait "
+        "-chardev socket,id=redirector2,path=%s "
         "-object filter-redirector,id=qtest-f0,netdev=qtest-bn0,"
         "queue=tx,outdev=redirector0 "
         "-object filter-redirector,id=qtest-f1,netdev=qtest-bn0,"
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ static void test_redirector_rx(void)
         "-device %s,netdev=qtest-bn0,id=qtest-e0 "
         "-chardev socket,id=redirector0,path=%s,server,nowait "
         "-chardev socket,id=redirector1,path=%s,server,nowait "
-        "-chardev socket,id=redirector2,path=%s,nowait "
+        "-chardev socket,id=redirector2,path=%s "
         "-object filter-redirector,id=qtest-f0,netdev=qtest-bn0,"
         "queue=rx,indev=redirector0 "
         "-object filter-redirector,id=qtest-f1,netdev=qtest-bn0,"