diff --git a/src/util/vircommand.c b/src/util/vircommand.c
index 192613ed0a..e4f6eba148 100644
--- a/src/util/vircommand.c
+++ b/src/util/vircommand.c
@@ -158,6 +158,8 @@ struct _virCommand {
 
 /* See virCommandSetDryRun for description for this variable */
 static virBufferPtr dryRunBuffer;
+static bool dryRunBufferArgLinebreaks;
+static bool dryRunBufferCommandStripPath;
 static virCommandDryRunCallback dryRunCallback;
 static void *dryRunOpaque;
 #ifndef WIN32
@@ -2573,18 +2575,18 @@ virCommandRunAsync(virCommandPtr cmd, pid_t *pid)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    str = virCommandToString(cmd, false);
     if (dryRunBuffer || dryRunCallback) {
+        g_autofree char *cmdstr = NULL;
         dryRunStatus = 0;
-        if (!str) {
-            /* error already reported by virCommandToString */
+
+        if (!(cmdstr = virCommandToStringFull(cmd, dryRunBufferArgLinebreaks,
+                                              dryRunBufferCommandStripPath)))
             goto cleanup;
-        }
 
         if (dryRunBuffer) {
             VIR_DEBUG("Dry run requested, appending stringified "
                       "command to dryRunBuffer=%p", dryRunBuffer);
-            virBufferAdd(dryRunBuffer, str, -1);
+            virBufferAdd(dryRunBuffer, cmdstr, -1);
             virBufferAddChar(dryRunBuffer, '\n');
         }
         if (dryRunCallback) {
@@ -2597,6 +2599,7 @@ virCommandRunAsync(virCommandPtr cmd, pid_t *pid)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    str = virCommandToString(cmd, false);
     VIR_DEBUG("About to run %s", str ? str : cmd->args[0]);
     ret = virExec(cmd);
     VIR_DEBUG("Command result %d, with PID %d",
@@ -3117,6 +3120,8 @@ void
 virCommandDryRunTokenFree(virCommandDryRunToken *tok)
 {
     dryRunBuffer = NULL;
+    dryRunBufferArgLinebreaks = false;
+    dryRunBufferCommandStripPath = false;
     dryRunCallback = NULL;
     dryRunOpaque = NULL;
     g_free(tok);
@@ -3127,6 +3132,8 @@ virCommandDryRunTokenFree(virCommandDryRunToken *tok)
  * virCommandSetDryRun:
  * @tok: a virCommandDryRunToken obtained from virCommandDryRunTokenNew
  * @buf: buffer to store stringified commands
+ * @bufArgLinebreaks: add linebreaks after command and every argument or argument pair
+ * @bufCommandStripPath: strip leading paths of command
  * @callback: callback to process input/output/args
  *
  * Sometimes it's desired to not actually run given command, but
@@ -3159,6 +3166,8 @@ virCommandDryRunTokenFree(virCommandDryRunToken *tok)
 void
 virCommandSetDryRun(virCommandDryRunToken *tok,
                     virBufferPtr buf,
+                    bool bufArgLinebreaks,
+                    bool bufCommandStripPath,
                     virCommandDryRunCallback cb,
                     void *opaque)
 {
@@ -3166,6 +3175,8 @@ virCommandSetDryRun(virCommandDryRunToken *tok,
         abort();
 
     dryRunBuffer = buf;
+    dryRunBufferArgLinebreaks = bufArgLinebreaks;
+    dryRunBufferCommandStripPath = bufCommandStripPath;
     dryRunCallback = cb;
     dryRunOpaque = opaque;
 }
diff --git a/src/util/vircommandpriv.h b/src/util/vircommandpriv.h
index d06a8f5e30..6e01585766 100644
--- a/src/util/vircommandpriv.h
+++ b/src/util/vircommandpriv.h
@@ -43,5 +43,7 @@ G_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_CLEANUP_FUNC(virCommandDryRunToken, virCommandDryRunTokenFree);
 
 void virCommandSetDryRun(virCommandDryRunToken *tok,
                          virBufferPtr buf,
+                         bool bufArgLinebreaks,
+                         bool bufCommandStripPath,
                          virCommandDryRunCallback cb,
                          void *opaque);
diff --git a/tests/networkxml2firewalltest.c b/tests/networkxml2firewalltest.c
index 952c076a19..2974d3f2af 100644
--- a/tests/networkxml2firewalltest.c
+++ b/tests/networkxml2firewalltest.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ static int testCompareXMLToArgvFiles(const char *xml,
     char *actual;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, testCommandDryRun, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, testCommandDryRun, NULL);
 
     if (!(def = virNetworkDefParseFile(xml, NULL)))
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tests/nodedevmdevctltest.c b/tests/nodedevmdevctltest.c
index cb9dbe5431..48d4f9e818 100644
--- a/tests/nodedevmdevctltest.c
+++ b/tests/nodedevmdevctltest.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ testMdevctlStartOrDefine(const char *virt_type,
     if (!cmd)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, testCommandDryRunCallback, &stdinbuf);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, testCommandDryRunCallback, &stdinbuf);
     if (virCommandRun(cmd, NULL) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ testMdevctlUuidCommand(const char *uuid, GetStopUndefineCmdFunc func, const char
     if (!cmd)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
     if (virCommandRun(cmd, NULL) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ testMdevctlListDefined(const void *data G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     if (!cmd)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
     if (virCommandRun(cmd, NULL) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
diff --git a/tests/nwfilterebiptablestest.c b/tests/nwfilterebiptablestest.c
index 36df17d1c1..c20b2bed42 100644
--- a/tests/nwfilterebiptablestest.c
+++ b/tests/nwfilterebiptablestest.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ testNWFilterEBIPTablesAllTeardown(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     int ret = -1;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (ebiptables_driver.allTeardown("vnet0") < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ testNWFilterEBIPTablesTearOldRules(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     int ret = -1;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (ebiptables_driver.tearOldRules("vnet0") < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ testNWFilterEBIPTablesRemoveBasicRules(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     int ret = -1;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (ebiptables_driver.removeBasicRules("vnet0") < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ testNWFilterEBIPTablesTearNewRules(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     int ret = -1;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (ebiptables_driver.tearNewRules("vnet0") < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ testNWFilterEBIPTablesApplyBasicRules(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     virMacAddr mac = { .addr = { 0x10, 0x20, 0x30, 0x40, 0x50, 0x60 } };
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (ebiptables_driver.applyBasicRules("vnet0", &mac) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ testNWFilterEBIPTablesApplyDHCPOnlyRules(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     };
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (ebiptables_driver.applyDHCPOnlyRules("vnet0", &mac, &val, false) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ testNWFilterEBIPTablesApplyDropAllRules(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     int ret = -1;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (ebiptables_driver.applyDropAllRules("vnet0") < 0)
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tests/nwfilterxml2firewalltest.c b/tests/nwfilterxml2firewalltest.c
index 38f2ab7040..f72cd06e58 100644
--- a/tests/nwfilterxml2firewalltest.c
+++ b/tests/nwfilterxml2firewalltest.c
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ static int testCompareXMLToArgvFiles(const char *xml,
 
     memset(&inst, 0, sizeof(inst));
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (!vars)
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tests/sysinfotest.c b/tests/sysinfotest.c
index 5d028d2fd3..9129b6db7a 100644
--- a/tests/sysinfotest.c
+++ b/tests/sysinfotest.c
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ testSysinfo(const void *data)
     cpuinfo = g_strdup_printf("%s/sysinfodata/%scpuinfo.data", abs_srcdir, testdata->name);
     expected = g_strdup_printf("%s/sysinfodata/%ssysinfo.expect", abs_srcdir, testdata->name);
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, NULL, testDMIDecodeDryRun, sysinfo);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, NULL, false, false, testDMIDecodeDryRun, sysinfo);
 
     virSysinfoSetup(sysinfo, cpuinfo);
 
diff --git a/tests/virfirewalltest.c b/tests/virfirewalltest.c
index 5515da4b4d..ba44201fa2 100644
--- a/tests/virfirewalltest.c
+++ b/tests/virfirewalltest.c
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ testFirewallSingleGroup(const void *opaque)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD)
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, NULL, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
     else
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
 
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ testFirewallRemoveRule(const void *opaque)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD)
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, NULL, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
     else
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
 
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ testFirewallManyGroups(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD)
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, NULL, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
     else
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
 
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ testFirewallIgnoreFailGroup(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD) {
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
     } else {
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
         fwError = true;
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ testFirewallIgnoreFailRule(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD) {
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
     } else {
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
         fwError = true;
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ testFirewallNoRollback(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD) {
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
     } else {
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
         fwError = true;
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ testFirewallSingleRollback(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD) {
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
     } else {
         fwError = true;
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ testFirewallManyRollback(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD) {
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
     } else {
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
         fwError = true;
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ testFirewallChainedRollback(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD) {
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, testFirewallRollbackHook, NULL);
     } else {
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
         fwError = true;
@@ -963,7 +963,7 @@ testFirewallQuery(const void *opaque G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 
     if (data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT ||
         data->expectBackend == VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_FIREWALLD) {
-        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, testFirewallQueryHook, NULL);
+        virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &cmdbuf, false, false, testFirewallQueryHook, NULL);
     } else {
         fwBuf = &cmdbuf;
         fwError = true;
diff --git a/tests/viriscsitest.c b/tests/viriscsitest.c
index e673b69ed6..37922ba552 100644
--- a/tests/viriscsitest.c
+++ b/tests/viriscsitest.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ testISCSIGetSession(const void *data)
 
     cbData.output_version = info->output_version;
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, NULL, testIscsiadmCb, &cbData);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, NULL, false, false, testIscsiadmCb, &cbData);
 
     actual_session = virISCSIGetSession(info->device_path, true);
 
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ testISCSIScanTargets(const void *data)
     size_t i;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, NULL, testIscsiadmCb, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, NULL, false, false, testIscsiadmCb, NULL);
 
     if (virISCSIScanTargets(info->portal, NULL,
                             false, &ntargets, &targets) < 0)
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ testISCSIConnectionLogin(const void *data)
     int ret = -1;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, NULL, testIscsiadmCb, &cbData);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, NULL, false, false, testIscsiadmCb, &cbData);
 
     if (virISCSIConnectionLogin(info->portal, info->initiatoriqn, info->target) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tests/virkmodtest.c b/tests/virkmodtest.c
index d278032aec..b2dfecb42c 100644
--- a/tests/virkmodtest.c
+++ b/tests/virkmodtest.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ testKModLoad(const void *args G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     errbuf = virKModLoad(MODNAME);
     if (errbuf) {
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ testKModUnload(const void *args G_GNUC_UNUSED)
     g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     g_autoptr(virCommandDryRunToken) dryRunToken = virCommandDryRunTokenNew();
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     errbuf = virKModUnload(MODNAME);
     if (errbuf) {
diff --git a/tests/virnetdevbandwidthtest.c b/tests/virnetdevbandwidthtest.c
index 52742dff05..f399c95da0 100644
--- a/tests/virnetdevbandwidthtest.c
+++ b/tests/virnetdevbandwidthtest.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ testVirNetDevBandwidthSet(const void *data)
     if (!iface)
         iface = "eth0";
 
-    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, NULL, NULL);
+    virCommandSetDryRun(dryRunToken, &buf, false, false, NULL, NULL);
 
     if (virNetDevBandwidthSet(iface, band, info->hierarchical_class, true) < 0)
         goto cleanup;