diff --git a/hw/m68k/mcf5208.c b/hw/m68k/mcf5208.c
index d310a98e7b..7c8ca5ddf6 100644
--- a/hw/m68k/mcf5208.c
+++ b/hw/m68k/mcf5208.c
@@ -301,17 +301,17 @@ static void mcf5208evb_init(MachineState *machine)
     /* 0xfc0a8000 SDRAM controller.  */
 
     /* Load firmware */
-    if (bios_name) {
+    if (machine->firmware) {
         char *fn;
         uint8_t *ptr;
 
-        fn = qemu_find_file(QEMU_FILE_TYPE_BIOS, bios_name);
+        fn = qemu_find_file(QEMU_FILE_TYPE_BIOS, machine->firmware);
         if (!fn) {
-            error_report("Could not find ROM image '%s'", bios_name);
+            error_report("Could not find ROM image '%s'", machine->firmware);
             exit(1);
         }
         if (load_image_targphys(fn, 0x0, ROM_SIZE) < 8) {
-            error_report("Could not load ROM image '%s'", bios_name);
+            error_report("Could not load ROM image '%s'", machine->firmware);
             exit(1);
         }
         g_free(fn);
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ static void mcf5208evb_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     /* Load kernel.  */
     if (!kernel_filename) {
-        if (qtest_enabled() || bios_name) {
+        if (qtest_enabled() || machine->firmware) {
             return;
         }
         error_report("Kernel image must be specified");
diff --git a/hw/m68k/next-cube.c b/hw/m68k/next-cube.c
index e7045980b7..37bc35dfa4 100644
--- a/hw/m68k/next-cube.c
+++ b/hw/m68k/next-cube.c
@@ -868,6 +868,7 @@ static void next_cube_init(MachineState *machine)
     MemoryRegion *bmapm1 = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *bmapm2 = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
+    const char *bios_name = machine->firmware ?: ROM_FILE;
     NeXTState *ns = NEXT_MACHINE(machine);
     DeviceState *dev;
 
@@ -924,9 +925,6 @@ static void next_cube_init(MachineState *machine)
     sysbus_mmio_map(SYS_BUS_DEVICE(dev), 0, 0x0200e000);
 
     /* Load ROM here */
-    if (bios_name == NULL) {
-        bios_name = ROM_FILE;
-    }
     /* still not sure if the rom should also be mapped at 0x0*/
     memory_region_init_rom(rom, NULL, "next.rom", 0x20000, &error_fatal);
     memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x01000000, rom);
diff --git a/hw/m68k/q800.c b/hw/m68k/q800.c
index ce4b47c3e3..6ebcddcfb2 100644
--- a/hw/m68k/q800.c
+++ b/hw/m68k/q800.c
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ static void q800_init(MachineState *machine)
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
+    const char *bios_name = machine->firmware ?: MACROM_FILENAME;
     hwaddr parameters_base;
     CPUState *cs;
     DeviceState *dev;
@@ -400,9 +401,6 @@ static void q800_init(MachineState *machine)
         rom = g_malloc(sizeof(*rom));
         memory_region_init_rom(rom, NULL, "m68k_mac.rom", MACROM_SIZE,
                                &error_abort);
-        if (bios_name == NULL) {
-            bios_name = MACROM_FILENAME;
-        }
         filename = qemu_find_file(QEMU_FILE_TYPE_BIOS, bios_name);
         memory_region_add_subregion(get_system_memory(), MACROM_ADDR, rom);