diff --git a/tests/qtest/migration-test.c b/tests/qtest/migration-test.c
index 0dccb4beff..0a529a527b 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/migration-test.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/migration-test.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ static QTestMigrationState dst_state;
 #define QEMU_VM_FILE_MAGIC 0x5145564d
 #define FILE_TEST_FILENAME "migfile"
 #define FILE_TEST_OFFSET 0x1000
+#define FILE_TEST_MARKER 'X'
 #define QEMU_ENV_SRC "QTEST_QEMU_BINARY_SRC"
 #define QEMU_ENV_DST "QTEST_QEMU_BINARY_DST"
 
@@ -1693,10 +1694,43 @@ finish:
     test_migrate_end(from, to, args->result == MIG_TEST_SUCCEED);
 }
 
+static void file_dirty_offset_region(void)
+{
+    g_autofree char *path = g_strdup_printf("%s/%s", tmpfs, FILE_TEST_FILENAME);
+    size_t size = FILE_TEST_OFFSET;
+    g_autofree char *data = g_new0(char, size);
+
+    memset(data, FILE_TEST_MARKER, size);
+    g_assert(g_file_set_contents(path, data, size, NULL));
+}
+
+static void file_check_offset_region(void)
+{
+    g_autofree char *path = g_strdup_printf("%s/%s", tmpfs, FILE_TEST_FILENAME);
+    size_t size = FILE_TEST_OFFSET;
+    g_autofree char *expected = g_new0(char, size);
+    g_autofree char *actual = NULL;
+    uint64_t *stream_start;
+
+    /*
+     * Ensure the skipped offset region's data has not been touched
+     * and the migration stream starts at the right place.
+     */
+
+    memset(expected, FILE_TEST_MARKER, size);
+
+    g_assert(g_file_get_contents(path, &actual, NULL, NULL));
+    g_assert(!memcmp(actual, expected, size));
+
+    stream_start = (uint64_t *)(actual + size);
+    g_assert_cmpint(cpu_to_be64(*stream_start) >> 32, ==, QEMU_VM_FILE_MAGIC);
+}
+
 static void test_file_common(MigrateCommon *args, bool stop_src)
 {
     QTestState *from, *to;
     void *data_hook = NULL;
+    bool check_offset = false;
 
     if (test_migrate_start(&from, &to, args->listen_uri, &args->start)) {
         return;
@@ -1709,6 +1743,16 @@ static void test_file_common(MigrateCommon *args, bool stop_src)
      */
     g_assert_false(args->live);
 
+    if (g_strrstr(args->connect_uri, "offset=")) {
+        check_offset = true;
+        /*
+         * This comes before the start_hook because it's equivalent to
+         * a management application creating the file and writing to
+         * it so hooks should expect the file to be already present.
+         */
+        file_dirty_offset_region();
+    }
+
     if (args->start_hook) {
         data_hook = args->start_hook(from, to);
     }
@@ -1743,6 +1787,10 @@ static void test_file_common(MigrateCommon *args, bool stop_src)
 
     wait_for_serial("dest_serial");
 
+    if (check_offset) {
+        file_check_offset_region();
+    }
+
 finish:
     if (args->finish_hook) {
         args->finish_hook(from, to, data_hook);
@@ -1942,36 +1990,6 @@ static void test_precopy_file(void)
     test_file_common(&args, true);
 }
 
-static void file_offset_finish_hook(QTestState *from, QTestState *to,
-                                    void *opaque)
-{
-#if defined(__linux__)
-    g_autofree char *path = g_strdup_printf("%s/%s", tmpfs, FILE_TEST_FILENAME);
-    size_t size = FILE_TEST_OFFSET + sizeof(QEMU_VM_FILE_MAGIC);
-    uintptr_t *addr, *p;
-    int fd;
-
-    fd = open(path, O_RDONLY);
-    g_assert(fd != -1);
-    addr = mmap(NULL, size, PROT_READ, MAP_SHARED, fd, 0);
-    g_assert(addr != MAP_FAILED);
-
-    /*
-     * Ensure the skipped offset contains zeros and the migration
-     * stream starts at the right place.
-     */
-    p = addr;
-    while (p < addr + FILE_TEST_OFFSET / sizeof(uintptr_t)) {
-        g_assert(*p == 0);
-        p++;
-    }
-    g_assert_cmpint(cpu_to_be64(*p) >> 32, ==, QEMU_VM_FILE_MAGIC);
-
-    munmap(addr, size);
-    close(fd);
-#endif
-}
-
 static void test_precopy_file_offset(void)
 {
     g_autofree char *uri = g_strdup_printf("file:%s/%s,offset=%d", tmpfs,
@@ -1980,7 +1998,6 @@ static void test_precopy_file_offset(void)
     MigrateCommon args = {
         .connect_uri = uri,
         .listen_uri = "defer",
-        .finish_hook = file_offset_finish_hook,
     };
 
     test_file_common(&args, false);