diff --git a/tests/qtest/migration-helpers.c b/tests/qtest/migration-helpers.c
index 13449c1fe1..24fb7b3525 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/migration-helpers.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/migration-helpers.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
+#include "qemu/ctype.h"
 #include "qapi/qmp/qjson.h"
 
 #include "migration-helpers.h"
@@ -266,3 +267,28 @@ char *find_common_machine_version(const char *mtype, const char *var1,
                    "binaries %s and %s", mtype, getenv(var1), getenv(var2));
     g_assert_not_reached();
 }
+
+char *resolve_machine_version(const char *alias, const char *var1,
+                              const char *var2)
+{
+    const char *mname = g_getenv("QTEST_QEMU_MACHINE_TYPE");
+    g_autofree char *machine_name = NULL;
+
+    if (mname) {
+        const char *dash = strrchr(mname, '-');
+        const char *dot = strrchr(mname, '.');
+
+        machine_name = g_strdup(mname);
+
+        if (dash && dot) {
+            assert(qtest_has_machine(machine_name));
+            return g_steal_pointer(&machine_name);
+        }
+        /* else: probably an alias, let it be resolved below */
+    } else {
+        /* use the hardcoded alias */
+        machine_name = g_strdup(alias);
+    }
+
+    return find_common_machine_version(machine_name, var1, var2);
+}
diff --git a/tests/qtest/migration-helpers.h b/tests/qtest/migration-helpers.h
index d1c2351d33..e31dc85cc7 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/migration-helpers.h
+++ b/tests/qtest/migration-helpers.h
@@ -45,4 +45,6 @@ void wait_for_migration_fail(QTestState *from, bool allow_active);
 
 char *find_common_machine_version(const char *mtype, const char *var1,
                                   const char *var2);
+char *resolve_machine_version(const char *alias, const char *var1,
+                              const char *var2);
 #endif /* MIGRATION_HELPERS_H */
diff --git a/tests/qtest/migration-test.c b/tests/qtest/migration-test.c
index 4a5d37317a..bc70a14642 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/migration-test.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/migration-test.c
@@ -825,8 +825,9 @@ static int test_migrate_start(QTestState **from, QTestState **to,
         kvm_opts = ",dirty-ring-size=4096";
     }
 
-    machine = find_common_machine_version(machine_alias, QEMU_ENV_SRC,
-                                          QEMU_ENV_DST);
+    machine = resolve_machine_version(machine_alias, QEMU_ENV_SRC,
+                                      QEMU_ENV_DST);
+
     g_test_message("Using machine type: %s", machine);
 
     cmd_source = g_strdup_printf("-accel kvm%s -accel tcg "