diff --git a/tests/testutils.c b/tests/testutils.c
index 8ea6ab82ad..f87628edee 100644
--- a/tests/testutils.c
+++ b/tests/testutils.c
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ virTestCompareToFile(const char *strcontent,
                         filecontent)) {
         virTestDifferenceFull(stderr,
                               filecontent, filename,
-                              strcontent, NULL);
+                              fixedcontent, NULL);
         goto failure;
     }