diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 6c29c8f09f..d3e74d5c71 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -4474,6 +4474,23 @@ qemuDomainDefBootPostParse(virDomainDef *def,
 {
     bool abiUpdate = !!(parseFlags & VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_ABI_UPDATE);
 
+    /* If we're loading an existing configuration from disk, we
+     * should try as hard as possible to preserve historical
+     * behavior. In particular, firmware autoselection being enabled
+     * could never have resulted, before libvirt 9.2.0, in anything
+     * but a raw firmware image being selected.
+     *
+     * In order to ensure that existing domains keep working even if
+     * a firmware descriptor for a build with a different format is
+     * given higher priority, explicitly add this requirement to the
+     * definition before performing firmware selection */
+    if (!abiUpdate && def->os.firmware) {
+        if (!def->os.loader)
+            def->os.loader = virDomainLoaderDefNew();
+        if (!def->os.loader->format)
+            def->os.loader->format = VIR_STORAGE_FILE_RAW;
+    }
+
     /* Firmware selection can fail for a number of reasons, but the
      * most likely one is that the requested configuration contains
      * mistakes or includes constraints that are impossible to
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/firmware-auto-efi-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/firmware-auto-efi-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
index 81dbf9cf1b..a8b9cae35f 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/firmware-auto-efi-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/firmware-auto-efi-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain--1-guest/.config \
 -name guest=guest,debug-threads=on \
 -S \
 -object '{"qom-type":"secret","id":"masterKey0","format":"raw","file":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain--1-guest/master-key.aes"}' \
--blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
--blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
--blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
--blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-pflash1-storage"}' \
+-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
+-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
+-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
+-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash1-storage"}' \
 -machine virt-4.0,usb=off,gic-version=2,dump-guest-core=off,memory-backend=mach-virt.ram,pflash0=libvirt-pflash0-format,pflash1=libvirt-pflash1-format \
 -accel tcg \
 -cpu cortex-a15 \
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pvpanic-pci-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pvpanic-pci-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
index a5bf0d68be..32cfa998c2 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pvpanic-pci-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pvpanic-pci-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain--1-guest/.config \
 -name guest=guest,debug-threads=on \
 -S \
 -object '{"qom-type":"secret","id":"masterKey0","format":"raw","file":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain--1-guest/master-key.aes"}' \
--blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
--blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
--blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
--blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-pflash1-storage"}' \
+-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
+-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
+-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
+-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash1-storage"}' \
 -machine virt-6.0,usb=off,gic-version=2,dump-guest-core=off,memory-backend=mach-virt.ram,pflash0=libvirt-pflash0-format,pflash1=libvirt-pflash1-format \
 -accel tcg \
 -cpu cortex-a15 \
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pvpanic-pci-no-address-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pvpanic-pci-no-address-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
index ed38ba1b81..4e78e03ec4 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pvpanic-pci-no-address-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/pvpanic-pci-no-address-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain--1-guest/.config \
 -name guest=guest,debug-threads=on \
 -S \
 -object '{"qom-type":"secret","id":"masterKey0","format":"raw","file":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain--1-guest/master-key.aes"}' \
--blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
--blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
--blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
--blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-pflash1-storage"}' \
+-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
+-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
+-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
+-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash1-storage"}' \
 -machine virt-6.0,usb=off,gic-version=2,dump-guest-core=off,memory-backend=mach-virt.ram,pflash0=libvirt-pflash0-format,pflash1=libvirt-pflash1-format \
 -accel tcg \
 -cpu cortex-a15 \
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/virtio-iommu-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/virtio-iommu-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
index 7f1612454a..a58798acf1 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/virtio-iommu-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/virtio-iommu-aarch64.aarch64-latest.args
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain--1-guest/.config \
 -name guest=guest,debug-threads=on \
 -S \
 -object '{"qom-type":"secret","id":"masterKey0","format":"raw","file":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain--1-guest/master-key.aes"}' \
--blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
--blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
--blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
--blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-pflash1-storage"}' \
+-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
+-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
+-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
+-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash1-storage"}' \
 -machine virt-6.0,usb=off,gic-version=2,dump-guest-core=off,memory-backend=mach-virt.ram,pflash0=libvirt-pflash0-format,pflash1=libvirt-pflash1-format \
 -accel tcg \
 -cpu cortex-a15 \
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/firmware-auto-efi-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/firmware-auto-efi-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
index 5779eca7a0..8eb6086e40 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/firmware-auto-efi-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/firmware-auto-efi-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
       <feature enabled='no' name='enrolled-keys'/>
       <feature enabled='no' name='secure-boot'/>
     </firmware>
-    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash' format='qcow2'>/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.qcow2</loader>
-    <nvram template='/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_VARS.qcow2' format='qcow2'>/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.qcow2</nvram>
+    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash'>/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.fd</loader>
+    <nvram template='/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_VARS.fd'>/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.fd</nvram>
     <boot dev='hd'/>
   </os>
   <features>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pvpanic-pci-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pvpanic-pci-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
index 2a83ace748..92dcd92d19 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pvpanic-pci-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pvpanic-pci-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
       <feature enabled='no' name='enrolled-keys'/>
       <feature enabled='no' name='secure-boot'/>
     </firmware>
-    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash' format='qcow2'>/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.qcow2</loader>
-    <nvram template='/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_VARS.qcow2' format='qcow2'>/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.qcow2</nvram>
+    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash'>/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.fd</loader>
+    <nvram template='/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_VARS.fd'>/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.fd</nvram>
     <boot dev='hd'/>
   </os>
   <features>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pvpanic-pci-no-address-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pvpanic-pci-no-address-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
index d5ed9b23fe..f3e7e2c911 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pvpanic-pci-no-address-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/pvpanic-pci-no-address-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
       <feature enabled='no' name='enrolled-keys'/>
       <feature enabled='no' name='secure-boot'/>
     </firmware>
-    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash' format='qcow2'>/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.qcow2</loader>
-    <nvram template='/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_VARS.qcow2' format='qcow2'>/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.qcow2</nvram>
+    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash'>/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.fd</loader>
+    <nvram template='/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_VARS.fd'>/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.fd</nvram>
     <boot dev='hd'/>
   </os>
   <features>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/virtio-iommu-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/virtio-iommu-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
index 589295e602..ee747e7496 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/virtio-iommu-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/virtio-iommu-aarch64.aarch64-latest.xml
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
       <feature enabled='no' name='enrolled-keys'/>
       <feature enabled='no' name='secure-boot'/>
     </firmware>
-    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash' format='qcow2'>/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.qcow2</loader>
-    <nvram template='/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_VARS.qcow2' format='qcow2'>/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.qcow2</nvram>
+    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash'>/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_CODE.fd</loader>
+    <nvram template='/usr/share/AAVMF/AAVMF_VARS.fd'>/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/guest_VARS.fd</nvram>
     <boot dev='hd'/>
   </os>
   <features>