diff --git a/tests/vhost-user-test.c b/tests/vhost-user-test.c
index b1414e2b44..2a67a99d50 100644
--- a/tests/vhost-user-test.c
+++ b/tests/vhost-user-test.c
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ static void test_read_guest_mem(const void *arg)
                              "read-guest-memfd" : "read-guest-mem");
     test_server_listen(server);
 
-    qemu_cmd = get_qemu_cmd(server, 512, memfd, "", "");
+    qemu_cmd = get_qemu_cmd(server, 256, memfd, "", "");
 
     s = qtest_start(qemu_cmd);
     g_free(qemu_cmd);
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ static void test_migrate(void)
     test_server_listen(s);
     test_server_listen(dest);
 
-    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(s, 2, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, "", "");
+    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(s, 256, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, "", "");
     from = qtest_start(cmd);
     g_free(cmd);
 
@@ -749,10 +749,10 @@ static void test_migrate(void)
     }
 
     size = get_log_size(s);
-    g_assert_cmpint(size, ==, (2 * 1024 * 1024) / (VHOST_LOG_PAGE * 8));
+    g_assert_cmpint(size, ==, (256 * 1024 * 1024) / (VHOST_LOG_PAGE * 8));
 
     tmp = g_strdup_printf(" -incoming %s", uri);
-    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(dest, 2, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, "", tmp);
+    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(dest, 256, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, "", tmp);
     g_free(tmp);
     to = qtest_init(cmd);
     g_free(cmd);
@@ -863,7 +863,7 @@ static void test_reconnect_subprocess(void)
     char *cmd;
 
     g_thread_new("connect", connect_thread, s);
-    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(s, 2, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, ",server", "");
+    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(s, 256, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, ",server", "");
     qtest_start(cmd);
     g_free(cmd);
 
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ static void test_connect_fail_subprocess(void)
 
     s->test_fail = true;
     g_thread_new("connect", connect_thread, s);
-    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(s, 2, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, ",server", "");
+    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(s, 256, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, ",server", "");
     qtest_start(cmd);
     g_free(cmd);
 
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ static void test_flags_mismatch_subprocess(void)
 
     s->test_flags = TEST_FLAGS_DISCONNECT;
     g_thread_new("connect", connect_thread, s);
-    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(s, 2, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, ",server", "");
+    cmd = get_qemu_cmd(s, 256, TEST_MEMFD_AUTO, ",server", "");
     qtest_start(cmd);
     g_free(cmd);
 
@@ -982,14 +982,14 @@ static void test_multiqueue(void)
         cmd = g_strdup_printf(
             QEMU_CMD_MEMFD QEMU_CMD_CHR QEMU_CMD_NETDEV ",queues=%d "
             "-device virtio-net-pci,netdev=net0,mq=on,vectors=%d",
-            512, 512, s->chr_name,
+            256, 256, s->chr_name,
             s->socket_path, "", s->chr_name,
             s->queues, s->queues * 2 + 2);
     } else {
         cmd = g_strdup_printf(
             QEMU_CMD_MEM QEMU_CMD_CHR QEMU_CMD_NETDEV ",queues=%d "
             "-device virtio-net-pci,netdev=net0,mq=on,vectors=%d",
-            512, 512, s->mem_path, s->chr_name,
+            256, 256, s->mem_path, s->chr_name,
             s->socket_path, "", s->chr_name,
             s->queues, s->queues * 2 + 2);
     }