diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
index 822d5f8669..3913ac4c15 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
@@ -1745,37 +1745,38 @@ qemuBuildDriveStr(virDomainDiskDefPtr disk,
         }
     }
 
-    if (disk->src->readonly)
-        virBufferAddLit(&opt, ",readonly=on");
+    if (!virStorageSourceIsEmpty(disk->src)) {
+        if (disk->src->readonly)
+            virBufferAddLit(&opt, ",readonly=on");
 
+        if (disk->cachemode) {
+            virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",cache=%s",
+                              qemuDiskCacheV2TypeToString(disk->cachemode));
+        }
 
-    if (disk->cachemode) {
-        virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",cache=%s",
-                          qemuDiskCacheV2TypeToString(disk->cachemode));
+        if (disk->copy_on_read) {
+            virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",copy-on-read=%s",
+                              virTristateSwitchTypeToString(disk->copy_on_read));
+        }
+
+        if (disk->discard) {
+            virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",discard=%s",
+                              virDomainDiskDiscardTypeToString(disk->discard));
+        }
+
+        if (detect_zeroes) {
+            virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",detect-zeroes=%s",
+                              virDomainDiskDetectZeroesTypeToString(detect_zeroes));
+        }
+
+        if (disk->iomode) {
+            virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",aio=%s",
+                              virDomainDiskIoTypeToString(disk->iomode));
+        }
+
+        qemuBuildDiskThrottling(disk, &opt);
     }
 
-    if (disk->copy_on_read) {
-        virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",copy-on-read=%s",
-                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(disk->copy_on_read));
-    }
-
-    if (disk->discard) {
-        virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",discard=%s",
-                          virDomainDiskDiscardTypeToString(disk->discard));
-    }
-
-    if (detect_zeroes) {
-        virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",detect-zeroes=%s",
-                          virDomainDiskDetectZeroesTypeToString(detect_zeroes));
-    }
-
-    if (disk->iomode) {
-        virBufferAsprintf(&opt, ",aio=%s",
-                          virDomainDiskIoTypeToString(disk->iomode));
-    }
-
-    qemuBuildDiskThrottling(disk, &opt);
-
     if (virBufferCheckError(&opt) < 0)
         goto error;
 
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.args
index 0b62e6ee9f..a9f60aa477 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.args
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ bootindex=1 \
 -drive file=/root/boot.iso,format=raw,if=none,id=drive-ide0-0-1,media=cdrom,\
 readonly=on \
 -device ide-drive,bus=ide.0,unit=1,drive=drive-ide0-0-1,id=ide0-0-1 \
--drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-0,media=cdrom,readonly=on,cache=none \
+-drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-0,media=cdrom \
 -device ide-drive,bus=ide.1,unit=0,drive=drive-ide0-1-0,id=ide0-1-0 \
--drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-1,media=cdrom,readonly=on \
+-drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-1,media=cdrom \
 -device ide-drive,bus=ide.1,unit=1,drive=drive-ide0-1-1,id=ide0-1-1
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.x86_64-2.12.0.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.x86_64-2.12.0.args
index b51c0919cc..a39d920f67 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.x86_64-2.12.0.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.x86_64-2.12.0.args
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ file=/tmp/lib/domain--1-QEMUGuest1/master-key.aes \
 -device ide-hd,bus=ide.0,unit=0,drive=drive-ide0-0-0,id=ide0-0-0,bootindex=1 \
 -drive file=/root/boot.iso,format=raw,if=none,id=drive-ide0-0-1,readonly=on \
 -device ide-cd,bus=ide.0,unit=1,drive=drive-ide0-0-1,id=ide0-0-1 \
--drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-0,readonly=on,cache=none \
+-drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-0 \
 -device ide-cd,bus=ide.1,unit=0,drive=drive-ide0-1-0,id=ide0-1-0,\
 write-cache=on \
--drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-1,readonly=on \
+-drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-1 \
 -device ide-cd,bus=ide.1,unit=1,drive=drive-ide0-1-1,id=ide0-1-1 \
 -sandbox on,obsolete=deny,elevateprivileges=deny,spawn=deny,\
 resourcecontrol=deny \
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.x86_64-latest.args b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.x86_64-latest.args
index 8bdcffada3..029ae23dfa 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.x86_64-latest.args
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/disk-cdrom.x86_64-latest.args
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ file=/tmp/lib/domain--1-QEMUGuest1/master-key.aes \
 -device ide-hd,bus=ide.0,unit=0,drive=drive-ide0-0-0,id=ide0-0-0,bootindex=1 \
 -drive file=/root/boot.iso,format=raw,if=none,id=drive-ide0-0-1,readonly=on \
 -device ide-cd,bus=ide.0,unit=1,drive=drive-ide0-0-1,id=ide0-0-1 \
--drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-0,readonly=on,cache=none \
+-drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-0 \
 -device ide-cd,bus=ide.1,unit=0,drive=drive-ide0-1-0,id=ide0-1-0,\
 write-cache=on \
--drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-1,readonly=on \
+-drive if=none,id=drive-ide0-1-1 \
 -device ide-cd,bus=ide.1,unit=1,drive=drive-ide0-1-1,id=ide0-1-1 \
 -sandbox on,obsolete=deny,elevateprivileges=deny,spawn=deny,\
 resourcecontrol=deny \