diff --git a/src/conf/storage_conf.c b/src/conf/storage_conf.c
index fa3454750c..2e07c81f8a 100644
--- a/src/conf/storage_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/storage_conf.c
@@ -1678,6 +1678,7 @@ virStorageVolDefFormat(virStoragePoolDefPtr pool,
 {
     virStorageVolOptionsPtr options;
     g_auto(virBuffer) buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    g_auto(virBuffer) sourceChildBuf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
 
     options = virStorageVolOptionsForPoolType(pool->type);
     if (options == NULL)
@@ -1689,14 +1690,13 @@ virStorageVolDefFormat(virStoragePoolDefPtr pool,
 
     virBufferEscapeString(&buf, "<name>%s</name>\n", def->name);
     virBufferEscapeString(&buf, "<key>%s</key>\n", def->key);
-    virBufferAddLit(&buf, "<source>\n");
-    virBufferAdjustIndent(&buf, 2);
+
+    virBufferSetIndent(&sourceChildBuf, virBufferGetIndent(&buf) + 2);
 
     if (def->source.nextent)
-        virStorageVolDefFormatSourceExtents(&buf, def);
+        virStorageVolDefFormatSourceExtents(&sourceChildBuf, def);
 
-    virBufferAdjustIndent(&buf, -2);
-    virBufferAddLit(&buf, "</source>\n");
+    virXMLFormatElement(&buf, "source", NULL, &sourceChildBuf);
 
     virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "<capacity unit='bytes'>%llu</capacity>\n",
                       def->target.capacity);
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-backing.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-backing.xml
index cd33bee523..e4180a8a00 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-backing.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-backing.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>sparse.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/sparse.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>10000000000</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>0</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-iso.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-iso.xml
index 9783124b34..955bafd453 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-iso.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-iso.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>test.iso</name>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>1048576</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>1048576</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-naming.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-naming.xml
index e515502af1..d1b1c1d2ba 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-naming.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file-naming.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>&lt;sparse&gt;.img</name>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>1099511627776</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>0</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file.xml
index 2923188e65..884cf73797 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-file.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>sparse.img</name>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>1099511627776</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>0</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-gluster-dir-neg-uid.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-gluster-dir-neg-uid.xml
index 0af0be179d..8dd0f7472f 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-gluster-dir-neg-uid.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-gluster-dir-neg-uid.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='netdir'>
   <name>dir</name>
   <key>vol/dir</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>0</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>0</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-gluster-dir.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-gluster-dir.xml
index d4222489ec..fa01f98938 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-gluster-dir.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-gluster-dir.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='netdir'>
   <name>dir</name>
   <key>vol/dir</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>0</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>0</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-logical-backing.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-logical-backing.xml
index 07fe27767d..7200f32f7f 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-logical-backing.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-logical-backing.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='block'>
   <name>Swap</name>
   <key>r4xkCv-MQhr-WKIT-R66x-Epn2-e8hG-1Z5gY0</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>2080374784</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>2080374784</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-logical.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-logical.xml
index 0df5cc0864..ddaf0e24f5 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-logical.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-logical.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='block'>
   <name>Swap</name>
   <key>r4xkCv-MQhr-WKIT-R66x-Epn2-e8hG-1Z5gY0</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>2080374784</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>2080374784</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-luks-cipher.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-luks-cipher.xml
index 2b58850aaf..fd99793612 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-luks-cipher.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-luks-cipher.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>LuksDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/LuksDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-luks.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-luks.xml
index 599b3c5c4d..c011d4cc62 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-luks.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-luks.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>LuksDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/LuksDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-partition.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-partition.xml
index 147899edb1..dd9793fbb4 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-partition.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-partition.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='block'>
   <name>sda1</name>
   <key>/dev/sda1</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>106896384</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>106896384</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-0.10-lazy.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-0.10-lazy.xml
index 9b666ad5bc..afcd330e2d 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-0.10-lazy.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-0.10-lazy.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>OtherDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/OtherDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-1.1.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-1.1.xml
index c033f5bd57..634b0a409a 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-1.1.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-1.1.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>OtherDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/OtherDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-encryption.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-encryption.xml
index 31dc57873c..837adf41b1 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-encryption.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-encryption.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>OtherDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/OtherDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-lazy.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-lazy.xml
index ee79e26050..fc6b7542d8 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-lazy.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-lazy.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>OtherDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/OtherDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-luks.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-luks.xml
index 2e2b7ce125..78edc4239c 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-luks.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-luks.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>OtherDemoLuks.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/OtherDemoLuks.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-nobacking.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-nobacking.xml
index e8281e3b50..7600e25cc1 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-nobacking.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-nobacking.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>OtherDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/OtherDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-nocapacity.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-nocapacity.xml
index dbf9003213..a83adb8176 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-nocapacity.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2-nocapacity.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>OtherDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/OtherDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>0</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>0</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2.xml
index a7d612135f..8c942d4b78 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-qcow2.xml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 <volume type='file'>
   <name>OtherDemo.img</name>
   <key>/var/lib/libvirt/images/OtherDemo.img</key>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>5368709120</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>294912</allocation>
   <target>
diff --git a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-sheepdog.xml b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-sheepdog.xml
index d6e920bb81..47fb8eb418 100644
--- a/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-sheepdog.xml
+++ b/tests/storagevolxml2xmlout/vol-sheepdog.xml
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 <volume type='network'>
   <name>test2</name>
-  <source>
-  </source>
   <capacity unit='bytes'>1024</capacity>
   <allocation unit='bytes'>0</allocation>
   <target>