diff --git a/m4/virt-external-programs.m4 b/m4/virt-external-programs.m4
index 3c915e1a65..f1ae104b32 100644
--- a/m4/virt-external-programs.m4
+++ b/m4/virt-external-programs.m4
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_CHECK_EXTERNAL_PROGRAMS], [
   AC_PATH_PROG([DNSMASQ], [dnsmasq], [dnsmasq], [$LIBVIRT_SBIN_PATH])
   AC_PATH_PROG([RADVD], [radvd], [radvd], [$LIBVIRT_SBIN_PATH])
   AC_PATH_PROG([TC], [tc], [tc], [$LIBVIRT_SBIN_PATH])
-  AC_PATH_PROG([UDEVADM], [udevadm], [], [$LIBVIRT_SBIN_PATH])
+  AC_PATH_PROG([UDEVADM], [udevadm], [udevadm], [$LIBVIRT_SBIN_PATH])
   AC_PATH_PROG([MODPROBE], [modprobe], [modprobe], [$LIBVIRT_SBIN_PATH])
   AC_PATH_PROG([RMMOD], [rmmod], [rmmod], [$LIBVIRT_SBIN_PATH])
   AC_PATH_PROG([MMCTL], [mm-ctl], [mm-ctl], [$LIBVIRT_SBIN_PATH])
@@ -65,11 +65,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([LIBVIRT_CHECK_EXTERNAL_PROGRAMS], [
                      [Location or name of the mm-ctl program])
   AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([OVSVSCTL], ["$OVSVSCTL"],
                      [Location or name of the ovs-vsctl program])
-
-  if test -n "$UDEVADM"; then
-    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([UDEVADM], ["$UDEVADM"],
-                       [Location or name of the udevadm program])
-  fi
+  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([UDEVADM], ["$UDEVADM"],
+                     [Location or name of the udevadm program])
   if test -n "$MODPROBE"; then
     AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([MODPROBE], ["$MODPROBE"],
                        [Location or name of the modprobe program])
diff --git a/src/util/virutil.c b/src/util/virutil.c
index ecef24d2f3..b85769d936 100644
--- a/src/util/virutil.c
+++ b/src/util/virutil.c
@@ -1479,25 +1479,24 @@ virSetUIDGIDWithCaps(uid_t uid, gid_t gid, gid_t *groups, int ngroups,
 #endif
 
 
-#if defined(UDEVADM)
 void virWaitForDevices(void)
 {
-    const char *const settleprog[] = { UDEVADM, "settle", NULL };
+    VIR_AUTOPTR(virCommand) cmd = NULL;
+    VIR_AUTOFREE(char *) udev = NULL;
     int exitstatus;
 
-    if (access(settleprog[0], X_OK) != 0)
+    if (!(udev = virFindFileInPath(UDEVADM)))
+        return;
+
+    if (!(cmd = virCommandNewArgList(udev, "settle", NULL)))
         return;
 
     /*
      * NOTE: we ignore errors here; this is just to make sure that any device
      * nodes that are being created finish before we try to scan them.
      */
-    ignore_value(virRun(settleprog, &exitstatus));
+    ignore_value(virCommandRun(cmd, &exitstatus));
 }
-#else
-void virWaitForDevices(void)
-{}
-#endif
 
 #if WITH_DEVMAPPER
 bool