diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/059 b/tests/qemu-iotests/059
index 5438025285..4c90fc0363 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/059
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/059
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ trap "_cleanup; exit \$status" 0 1 2 3 15
 _supported_fmt vmdk
 _supported_proto file
 _supported_os Linux
-_unsupported_imgopts "subformat=monolithicFlat" \
-                     "subformat=twoGbMaxExtentFlat" \
-                     "subformat=twoGbMaxExtentSparse"
+
+# We test all kinds of VMDK options here, so ignore user-specified options
+IMGOPTS=""
 
 capacity_offset=16
 granularity_offset=20
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/check b/tests/qemu-iotests/check
index f7a2d3d6c3..9c461cf76d 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/check
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/check
@@ -546,6 +546,9 @@ fi
 if [ "$IMGFMT" == "luks" ] && ! (echo "$IMGOPTS" | grep "iter-time=" > /dev/null); then
     IMGOPTS=$(_optstr_add "$IMGOPTS" "iter-time=10")
 fi
+if [ "$IMGFMT" == "vmdk" ] && ! (echo "$IMGOPTS" | grep "zeroed_grain=" > /dev/null); then
+    IMGOPTS=$(_optstr_add "$IMGOPTS" "zeroed_grain=on")
+fi
 
 if [ -z "$SAMPLE_IMG_DIR" ]; then
         SAMPLE_IMG_DIR="$source_iotests/sample_images"