diff --git a/tests/cdrom-test.c b/tests/cdrom-test.c
index 05611da648..34e9974634 100644
--- a/tests/cdrom-test.c
+++ b/tests/cdrom-test.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ static void test_cdboot(gconstpointer data)
 {
     QTestState *qts;
 
-    qts = qtest_initf("-accel kvm:tcg -no-shutdown %s%s", (const char *)data,
+    qts = qtest_initf("-M accel=kvm:tcg -no-shutdown %s%s", (const char *)data,
                       isoimage);
     boot_sector_test(qts);
     qtest_quit(qts);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 630f5c5e9c..002bf4919e 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3554,6 +3554,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                     g_slist_free(accel_list);
                     exit(0);
                 }
+                if (optarg && strchr(optarg, ':')) {
+                    error_report("Don't use ':' with -accel, "
+                                 "use -M accel=... for now instead");
+                    exit(1);
+                }
                 opts = qemu_opts_create(qemu_find_opts("machine"), NULL,
                                         false, &error_abort);
                 qemu_opt_set(opts, "accel", optarg, &error_abort);