diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/bios-nvram-no-path.err b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/bios-nvram-no-path.err
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..795386008c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/bios-nvram-no-path.err
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+no loader path specified and firmware auto selection disabled
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/bios-nvram-no-path.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/bios-nvram-no-path.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bf97f0bdd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/bios-nvram-no-path.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<domain type='qemu'>
+  <name>test-bios</name>
+  <uuid>362d1fc1-df7d-193e-5c18-49a71bd1da66</uuid>
+  <memory unit='KiB'>1048576</memory>
+  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>1048576</currentMemory>
+  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
+  <os>
+    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc'>hvm</type>
+    <loader readonly='yes' type='pflash'/>
+    <boot dev='hd'/>
+    <bootmenu enable='yes'/>
+  </os>
+  <features>
+    <acpi/>
+  </features>
+  <devices>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
+  </devices>
+</domain>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c b/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
index 9c5c394e03..43d22016d6 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
@@ -1188,6 +1188,7 @@ mymain(void)
     DO_TEST("bios",
             QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_ISA_SERIAL);
     DO_TEST_NOCAPS("bios-nvram");
+    DO_TEST_PARSE_ERROR_NOCAPS("bios-nvram-no-path");
     DO_TEST_CAPS_LATEST("bios-nvram-rw");
     DO_TEST_CAPS_LATEST("bios-nvram-rw-implicit");
     DO_TEST("bios-nvram-secure",