diff --git a/tests/migration-test.c b/tests/migration-test.c
index a5343fdc66..fbddcf2317 100644
--- a/tests/migration-test.c
+++ b/tests/migration-test.c
@@ -557,6 +557,7 @@ static int test_migrate_start(QTestState **from, QTestState **to,
                                const char *opts_dst)
 {
     gchar *cmd_src, *cmd_dst;
+    gchar *cmd_source, *cmd_target;
     char *bootpath = NULL;
     char *extra_opts = NULL;
     char *shmem_path = NULL;
@@ -584,16 +585,16 @@ static int test_migrate_start(QTestState **from, QTestState **to,
         cmd_src = g_strdup_printf("-machine accel=%s -m 150M"
                                   " -name source,debug-threads=on"
                                   " -serial file:%s/src_serial"
-                                  " -drive file=%s,format=raw %s %s",
+                                  " -drive file=%s,format=raw %s",
                                   accel, tmpfs, bootpath,
-                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "", opts_src);
+                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "");
         cmd_dst = g_strdup_printf("-machine accel=%s -m 150M"
                                   " -name target,debug-threads=on"
                                   " -serial file:%s/dest_serial"
                                   " -drive file=%s,format=raw"
-                                  " -incoming %s %s %s",
+                                  " -incoming %s %s",
                                   accel, tmpfs, bootpath, uri,
-                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "", opts_dst);
+                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "");
         start_address = X86_TEST_MEM_START;
         end_address = X86_TEST_MEM_END;
     } else if (g_str_equal(arch, "s390x")) {
@@ -601,15 +602,15 @@ static int test_migrate_start(QTestState **from, QTestState **to,
         extra_opts = use_shmem ? get_shmem_opts("128M", shmem_path) : NULL;
         cmd_src = g_strdup_printf("-machine accel=%s -m 128M"
                                   " -name source,debug-threads=on"
-                                  " -serial file:%s/src_serial -bios %s %s %s",
+                                  " -serial file:%s/src_serial -bios %s %s",
                                   accel, tmpfs, bootpath,
-                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "", opts_src);
+                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "");
         cmd_dst = g_strdup_printf("-machine accel=%s -m 128M"
                                   " -name target,debug-threads=on"
                                   " -serial file:%s/dest_serial -bios %s"
-                                  " -incoming %s %s %s",
+                                  " -incoming %s %s",
                                   accel, tmpfs, bootpath, uri,
-                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "", opts_dst);
+                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "");
         start_address = S390_TEST_MEM_START;
         end_address = S390_TEST_MEM_END;
     } else if (strcmp(arch, "ppc64") == 0) {
@@ -620,15 +621,14 @@ static int test_migrate_start(QTestState **from, QTestState **to,
                                   " -prom-env 'use-nvramrc?=true' -prom-env "
                                   "'nvramrc=hex .\" _\" begin %x %x "
                                   "do i c@ 1 + i c! 1000 +loop .\" B\" 0 "
-                                  "until' %s %s",  accel, tmpfs, end_address,
-                                  start_address, extra_opts ? extra_opts : "",
-                                  opts_src);
+                                  "until' %s",  accel, tmpfs, end_address,
+                                  start_address, extra_opts ? extra_opts : "");
         cmd_dst = g_strdup_printf("-machine accel=%s,vsmt=8 -m 256M"
                                   " -name target,debug-threads=on"
                                   " -serial file:%s/dest_serial"
-                                  " -incoming %s %s %s",
+                                  " -incoming %s %s",
                                   accel, tmpfs, uri,
-                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "", opts_dst);
+                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "");
 
         start_address = PPC_TEST_MEM_START;
         end_address = PPC_TEST_MEM_END;
@@ -638,16 +638,16 @@ static int test_migrate_start(QTestState **from, QTestState **to,
         cmd_src = g_strdup_printf("-machine virt,accel=%s,gic-version=max "
                                   "-name vmsource,debug-threads=on -cpu max "
                                   "-m 150M -serial file:%s/src_serial "
-                                  "-kernel %s %s %s",
+                                  "-kernel %s %s",
                                   accel, tmpfs, bootpath,
-                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "", opts_src);
+                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "");
         cmd_dst = g_strdup_printf("-machine virt,accel=%s,gic-version=max "
                                   "-name vmdest,debug-threads=on -cpu max "
                                   "-m 150M -serial file:%s/dest_serial "
                                   "-kernel %s "
-                                  "-incoming %s %s %s",
+                                  "-incoming %s %s",
                                   accel, tmpfs, bootpath, uri,
-                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "", opts_dst);
+                                  extra_opts ? extra_opts : "");
 
         start_address = ARM_TEST_MEM_START;
         end_address = ARM_TEST_MEM_END;
@@ -671,11 +671,17 @@ static int test_migrate_start(QTestState **from, QTestState **to,
         cmd_dst = tmp;
     }
 
-    *from = qtest_init(cmd_src);
+    cmd_source = g_strdup_printf("%s %s",
+                                 cmd_src, opts_src);
     g_free(cmd_src);
+    *from = qtest_init(cmd_source);
+    g_free(cmd_source);
 
-    *to = qtest_init(cmd_dst);
+    cmd_target = g_strdup_printf("%s %s",
+                                 cmd_dst, opts_dst);
     g_free(cmd_dst);
+    *to = qtest_init(cmd_target);
+    g_free(cmd_target);
 
     /*
      * Remove shmem file immediately to avoid memory leak in test failed case.