diff --git a/src/xen/xend_internal.c b/src/xen/xend_internal.c
index a99cc7b7f1..e763baddb6 100644
--- a/src/xen/xend_internal.c
+++ b/src/xen/xend_internal.c
@@ -1276,7 +1276,7 @@ xenDaemonParseSxprChar(const char *value,
         if (def->data.tcp.service == NULL)
             goto no_memory;
 
-        if (offset2 && strstr(offset2, ",listen"))
+        if (offset2 && strstr(offset2, ",server"))
             def->data.tcp.listen = 1;
     }
     break;
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ xenDaemonParseSxprChar(const char *value,
             goto no_memory;
 
         if (offset != NULL &&
-            strstr(offset, ",listen") != NULL)
+            strstr(offset, ",server") != NULL)
             def->data.nix.listen = 1;
     }
     break;
@@ -5209,7 +5209,7 @@ xenDaemonFormatSxprChr(virDomainChrDefPtr def,
                            "tcp" : "telnet"),
                           (def->data.tcp.host ? def->data.tcp.host : ""),
                           (def->data.tcp.service ? def->data.tcp.service : ""),
-                          (def->data.tcp.listen ? ",listen" : ""));
+                          (def->data.tcp.listen ? ",server,nowait" : ""));
         break;
 
     case VIR_DOMAIN_CHR_TYPE_UDP:
@@ -5223,7 +5223,7 @@ xenDaemonFormatSxprChr(virDomainChrDefPtr def,
     case VIR_DOMAIN_CHR_TYPE_UNIX:
         virBufferVSprintf(buf, "%s:%s%s", type,
                           def->data.nix.path,
-                          def->data.nix.listen ? ",listen" : "");
+                          def->data.nix.listen ? ",server,nowait" : "");
         break;
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-tcp-telnet.sexpr b/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-tcp-telnet.sexpr
index 605f3c811d..ed914f7705 100644
--- a/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-tcp-telnet.sexpr
+++ b/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-tcp-telnet.sexpr
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(domain (domid 1)(name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd275cdaca517769660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial telnet:localhost:9999,listen)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
+(domain (domid 1)(name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd275cdaca517769660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial telnet:localhost:9999,server,nowait)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-tcp.sexpr b/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-tcp.sexpr
index aa20310b62..5d49158aab 100644
--- a/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-tcp.sexpr
+++ b/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-tcp.sexpr
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(domain (domid 1)(name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd275cdaca517769660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial tcp:localhost:9999,listen)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
+(domain (domid 1)(name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd275cdaca517769660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial tcp:localhost:9999,server,nowait)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-unix.sexpr b/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-unix.sexpr
index 3825ab7a2a..ff46c643d3 100644
--- a/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-unix.sexpr
+++ b/tests/sexpr2xmldata/sexpr2xml-fv-serial-unix.sexpr
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(domain (domid 1)(name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd275cdaca517769660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial unix:/tmp/serial.sock,listen)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
+(domain (domid 1)(name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd275cdaca517769660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial unix:/tmp/serial.sock,server,nowait)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/xmconfigdata/test-fullvirt-serial-tcp-telnet.cfg b/tests/xmconfigdata/test-fullvirt-serial-tcp-telnet.cfg
index c759f3d609..54bc84de81 100755
--- a/tests/xmconfigdata/test-fullvirt-serial-tcp-telnet.cfg
+++ b/tests/xmconfigdata/test-fullvirt-serial-tcp-telnet.cfg
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ vncpasswd = "123poi"
 disk = [ "phy:/dev/HostVG/XenGuest2,hda,w", "file:/root/boot.iso,hdc:cdrom,r" ]
 vif = [ "mac=00:16:3e:66:92:9c,bridge=xenbr1,script=vif-bridge,type=ioemu" ]
 parallel = "none"
-serial = "telnet:127.0.0.1:9999,listen"
+serial = "telnet:127.0.0.1:9999,server,nowait"
diff --git a/tests/xmconfigdata/test-fullvirt-serial-unix.cfg b/tests/xmconfigdata/test-fullvirt-serial-unix.cfg
index 3cdb22b510..bcd7d118fc 100755
--- a/tests/xmconfigdata/test-fullvirt-serial-unix.cfg
+++ b/tests/xmconfigdata/test-fullvirt-serial-unix.cfg
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ vncpasswd = "123poi"
 disk = [ "phy:/dev/HostVG/XenGuest2,hda,w", "file:/root/boot.iso,hdc:cdrom,r" ]
 vif = [ "mac=00:16:3e:66:92:9c,bridge=xenbr1,script=vif-bridge,type=ioemu" ]
 parallel = "none"
-serial = "unix:/tmp/serial.sock,listen"
+serial = "unix:/tmp/serial.sock,server,nowait"
diff --git a/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-tcp-telnet.sexpr b/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-tcp-telnet.sexpr
index 46413c8c40..78295db781 100644
--- a/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-tcp-telnet.sexpr
+++ b/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-tcp-telnet.sexpr
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(vm (name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd2-75cd-aca5-1776-9660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial telnet:localhost:9999,listen)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
+(vm (name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd2-75cd-aca5-1776-9660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial telnet:localhost:9999,server,nowait)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-tcp.sexpr b/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-tcp.sexpr
index 6c17207d98..841fdbec5e 100644
--- a/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-tcp.sexpr
+++ b/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-tcp.sexpr
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(vm (name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd2-75cd-aca5-1776-9660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial tcp:localhost:9999,listen)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
+(vm (name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd2-75cd-aca5-1776-9660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial tcp:localhost:9999,server,nowait)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-unix.sexpr b/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-unix.sexpr
index 352b29b92d..14da597a48 100644
--- a/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-unix.sexpr
+++ b/tests/xml2sexprdata/xml2sexpr-fv-serial-unix.sexpr
@@ -1 +1 @@
-(vm (name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd2-75cd-aca5-1776-9660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial unix:/tmp/serial.sock,listen)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file
+(vm (name 'fvtest')(memory 400)(maxmem 400)(vcpus 1)(uuid 'b5d70dd2-75cd-aca5-1776-9660b059d8bc')(on_poweroff 'destroy')(on_reboot 'restart')(on_crash 'restart')(image (hvm (kernel '/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader')(vcpus 1)(boot c)(cdrom '/root/boot.iso')(acpi 1)(usb 1)(parallel none)(serial unix:/tmp/serial.sock,server,nowait)(device_model '/usr/lib64/xen/bin/qemu-dm')(vnc 1)))(device (vbd (dev 'ioemu:hda')(uname 'file:/root/foo.img')(mode 'w')))(device (vif (mac '00:16:3e:1b:b1:47')(bridge 'xenbr0')(script 'vif-bridge')(type ioemu))))
\ No newline at end of file