diff --git a/python/qemu/qtest.py b/python/qemu/qtest.py
index eebcc233ed..3f1d2cb325 100644
--- a/python/qemu/qtest.py
+++ b/python/qemu/qtest.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class QEMUQtestMachine(QEMUMachine):
     def _base_args(self):
         args = super(QEMUQtestMachine, self)._base_args()
         args.extend(['-qtest', 'unix:path=' + self._qtest_path,
-                     '-machine', 'accel=qtest'])
+                     '-accel', 'qtest'])
         return args
 
     def _pre_launch(self):
diff --git a/qemu-deprecated.texi b/qemu-deprecated.texi
index 9d74a1cfc0..01245e0b1c 100644
--- a/qemu-deprecated.texi
+++ b/qemu-deprecated.texi
@@ -26,8 +26,7 @@ The @option{enforce-config-section} parameter is replaced by the
 
 @subsection -no-kvm (since 1.3.0)
 
-The ``-no-kvm'' argument is now a synonym for setting
-``-machine accel=tcg''.
+The ``-no-kvm'' argument is now a synonym for setting ``-accel tcg''.
 
 @subsection -usbdevice (since 2.10.0)
 
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index bbfd936d29..80c16fa317 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -4156,7 +4156,7 @@ STEXI
 Enable FIPS 140-2 compliance mode.
 ETEXI
 
-HXCOMM Deprecated by -machine accel=tcg property
+HXCOMM Deprecated by -accel tcg
 DEF("no-kvm", 0, QEMU_OPTION_no_kvm, "", QEMU_ARCH_I386)
 
 DEF("msg", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_msg,
diff --git a/tests/libqtest.c b/tests/libqtest.c
index 4a7556462d..38e4f5b587 100644
--- a/tests/libqtest.c
+++ b/tests/libqtest.c
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ QTestState *qtest_init_without_qmp_handshake(const char *extra_args)
                               "-qtest-log %s "
                               "-chardev socket,path=%s,id=char0 "
                               "-mon chardev=char0,mode=control "
-                              "-machine accel=qtest "
+                              "-accel qtest "
                               "-display none "
                               "%s", qemu_binary, socket_path,
                               getenv("QTEST_LOG") ? "/dev/fd/2" : "/dev/null",
diff --git a/tests/migration/guestperf/engine.py b/tests/migration/guestperf/engine.py
index f13dbea800..1dd04ce33b 100644
--- a/tests/migration/guestperf/engine.py
+++ b/tests/migration/guestperf/engine.py
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ class Engine(object):
             cmdline = "'" + cmdline + "'"
 
         argv = [
-            "-machine", "accel=kvm",
+            "-accel", "kvm",
             "-cpu", "host",
             "-kernel", self._kernel,
             "-initrd", self._initrd,
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/172 b/tests/qemu-iotests/172
index ba7dad9057..d67997e5f6 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/172
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/172
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ do_run_qemu()
             done
         fi
         echo quit
-    ) | $QEMU -machine accel=qtest -nographic -monitor stdio -serial none "$@"
+    ) | $QEMU -accel qtest -nographic -monitor stdio -serial none "$@"
     echo
 }