diff --git a/tests/testutilsqemu.c b/tests/testutilsqemu.c
index e0b58b1d5d..16b773a768 100644
--- a/tests/testutilsqemu.c
+++ b/tests/testutilsqemu.c
@@ -428,7 +428,6 @@ int qemuTestDriverInit(virQEMUDriver *driver)
     virSecurityManager *mgr = NULL;
     char statedir[] = STATEDIRTEMPLATE;
     char configdir[] = CONFIGDIRTEMPLATE;
-    g_autoptr(virQEMUCaps) emptyCaps = NULL;
 
     memset(driver, 0, sizeof(*driver));
 
@@ -499,11 +498,6 @@ int qemuTestDriverInit(virQEMUDriver *driver)
     if (!driver->xmlopt)
         goto error;
 
-    /* Populate the capabilities cache with fake empty caps */
-    emptyCaps = virQEMUCapsNew();
-    if (qemuTestCapsCacheInsert(driver->qemuCapsCache, emptyCaps) < 0)
-        goto error;
-
     if (!(mgr = virSecurityManagerNew("none", "qemu",
                                       VIR_SECURITY_MANAGER_PRIVILEGED)))
         goto error;