diff --git a/testing/config/kvm/alice.xml b/testing/config/kvm/alice.xml
index 3eb2a99a9..de8f5ab00 100644
--- a/testing/config/kvm/alice.xml
+++ b/testing/config/kvm/alice.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
   <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
     <disk type='file' device='disk'>
       <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writethrough'/>
       <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/alice.qcow2'/>
diff --git a/testing/config/kvm/bob.xml b/testing/config/kvm/bob.xml
index 90acb7fb1..0854d10d5 100644
--- a/testing/config/kvm/bob.xml
+++ b/testing/config/kvm/bob.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
   <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
     <disk type='file' device='disk'>
       <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writethrough'/>
       <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/bob.qcow2'/>
diff --git a/testing/config/kvm/carol.xml b/testing/config/kvm/carol.xml
index 96f23dfe2..4d1a47e35 100644
--- a/testing/config/kvm/carol.xml
+++ b/testing/config/kvm/carol.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
   <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
     <disk type='file' device='disk'>
       <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writethrough'/>
       <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/carol.qcow2'/>
diff --git a/testing/config/kvm/dave.xml b/testing/config/kvm/dave.xml
index 369514dba..fb292944e 100644
--- a/testing/config/kvm/dave.xml
+++ b/testing/config/kvm/dave.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
   <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
     <disk type='file' device='disk'>
       <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writethrough'/>
       <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/dave.qcow2'/>
diff --git a/testing/config/kvm/moon.xml b/testing/config/kvm/moon.xml
index 398e36f6c..0fd3dd98f 100644
--- a/testing/config/kvm/moon.xml
+++ b/testing/config/kvm/moon.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
   <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
     <disk type='file' device='disk'>
       <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writethrough'/>
       <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/moon.qcow2'/>
diff --git a/testing/config/kvm/sun.xml b/testing/config/kvm/sun.xml
index f77839ad0..55f2d110e 100644
--- a/testing/config/kvm/sun.xml
+++ b/testing/config/kvm/sun.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
   <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
     <disk type='file' device='disk'>
       <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writethrough'/>
       <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/sun.qcow2'/>
diff --git a/testing/config/kvm/venus.xml b/testing/config/kvm/venus.xml
index aa15705c6..c01c410ce 100644
--- a/testing/config/kvm/venus.xml
+++ b/testing/config/kvm/venus.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
   <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
     <disk type='file' device='disk'>
       <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writethrough'/>
       <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/venus.qcow2'/>
diff --git a/testing/config/kvm/winnetou.xml b/testing/config/kvm/winnetou.xml
index 7ada13180..93e13120b 100644
--- a/testing/config/kvm/winnetou.xml
+++ b/testing/config/kvm/winnetou.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
   <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
   <devices>
-    <emulator>/usr/bin/kvm</emulator>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
     <disk type='file' device='disk'>
       <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writethrough'/>
       <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/winnetou.qcow2'/>
diff --git a/testing/start-testing b/testing/start-testing
index 7ef35f9e4..602d25293 100755
--- a/testing/start-testing
+++ b/testing/start-testing
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ echo "Starting test environment"
 [ `id -u` -eq 0 ] || die "You must be root to run $0"
 running_any $STRONGSWANHOSTS && die "Please stop test environment before running $0"
 
-check_commands kvm virsh
+check_commands virsh qemu-system-x86_64
 
 [ -f $KNLSRC ] || die "Kernel $KNLSRC not found"
 log_action "Deploying kernel $KERNEL"