diff --git a/tests/functional/qemu_test/testcase.py b/tests/functional/qemu_test/testcase.py
index b9418e2ac0..ca13af244b 100644
--- a/tests/functional/qemu_test/testcase.py
+++ b/tests/functional/qemu_test/testcase.py
@@ -163,10 +163,11 @@ class QemuSystemTest(QemuBaseTest):
             self.skipTest('no support for device ' + devicename)
 
     def _new_vm(self, name, *args):
-        vm = QEMUMachine(self.qemu_bin, base_temp_dir=self.workdir)
+        vm = QEMUMachine(self.qemu_bin,
+                         base_temp_dir=self.workdir,
+                         log_dir=self.logdir)
         self.log.debug('QEMUMachine "%s" created', name)
         self.log.debug('QEMUMachine "%s" temp_dir: %s', name, vm.temp_dir)
-        self.log.debug('QEMUMachine "%s" log_dir: %s', name, vm.log_dir)
         if args:
             vm.add_args(*args)
         return vm