diff --git a/tools/virsh-backup.c b/tools/virsh-backup.c
index 7a7834d7ff..52325b5ca0 100644
--- a/tools/virsh-backup.c
+++ b/tools/virsh-backup.c
@@ -34,11 +34,13 @@ static const vshCmdOptDef opts_backup_begin[] = {
     VIRSH_COMMON_OPT_DOMAIN_FULL(VIR_CONNECT_LIST_DOMAINS_ACTIVE),
     {.name = "backupxml",
      .type = VSH_OT_STRING,
+     .positional = true,
      .completer = virshCompletePathLocalExisting,
      .help = N_("domain backup XML"),
     },
     {.name = "checkpointxml",
      .type = VSH_OT_STRING,
+     .unwanted_positional = true,
      .completer = virshCompletePathLocalExisting,
      .help = N_("domain checkpoint XML"),
     },