diff --git a/src/test/test_driver.c b/src/test/test_driver.c
index 153ab7cdc2..e7d2b6c866 100644
--- a/src/test/test_driver.c
+++ b/src/test/test_driver.c
@@ -7514,15 +7514,30 @@ testNodeDeviceGetXMLDesc(virNodeDevicePtr dev,
 {
     testDriver *driver = dev->conn->privateData;
     virNodeDeviceObj *obj;
+    virNodeDeviceDef *def;
     char *ret = NULL;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_NODE_DEVICE_XML_INACTIVE, NULL);
 
     if (!(obj = testNodeDeviceObjFindByName(driver, dev->name)))
         return NULL;
+    def = virNodeDeviceObjGetDef(obj);
 
-    ret = virNodeDeviceDefFormat(virNodeDeviceObjGetDef(obj), flags);
+    if (flags & VIR_NODE_DEVICE_XML_INACTIVE) {
+        if (!virNodeDeviceObjIsPersistent(obj)) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                           _("node device '%1$s' is not persistent"),
+                           def->name);
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
+    } else {
+        if (!virNodeDeviceObjIsActive(obj))
+            flags |= VIR_NODE_DEVICE_XML_INACTIVE;
+    }
 
+    ret = virNodeDeviceDefFormat(def, flags);
+
+ cleanup:
     virNodeDeviceObjEndAPI(&obj);
     return ret;
 }