diff --git a/tests/networkxml2firewalltest.c b/tests/networkxml2firewalltest.c
index 1225c443df..c69ab54ba8 100644
--- a/tests/networkxml2firewalltest.c
+++ b/tests/networkxml2firewalltest.c
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ mymain(void)
             ret = -1;                                                   \
     } while (0)
 
+    virFirewallSetLockOverride(true);
+
     if (virFirewallSetBackend(VIR_FIREWALL_BACKEND_DIRECT) < 0) {
         ret = -1;
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tests/virfirewalltest.c b/tests/virfirewalltest.c
index 81c555743d..1f8d8f1e9f 100644
--- a/tests/virfirewalltest.c
+++ b/tests/virfirewalltest.c
@@ -1168,6 +1168,8 @@ mymain(void)
     RUN_TEST_DIRECT(name, method)
 # endif /* ! WITH_DBUS */
 
+    virFirewallSetLockOverride(true);
+
     RUN_TEST("single group", testFirewallSingleGroup);
     RUN_TEST("remove rule", testFirewallRemoveRule);
     RUN_TEST("many groups", testFirewallManyGroups);