diff --git a/tests/vm/basevm.py b/tests/vm/basevm.py
index f8fd751eb1..4a1af04b9a 100644
--- a/tests/vm/basevm.py
+++ b/tests/vm/basevm.py
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ def parse_args(vmcls):
     parser.add_argument("--build-qemu",
                         help="build QEMU from source in guest")
     parser.add_argument("--build-target",
-                        help="QEMU build target", default="check")
+                        help="QEMU build target", default="all check")
     parser.add_argument("--build-path", default=None,
                         help="Path of build directory, "\
                         "for using build tree QEMU binary. ")