diff --git a/tests/libqtest.c b/tests/libqtest.c
index b03b57a3db..2b90e4a76e 100644
--- a/tests/libqtest.c
+++ b/tests/libqtest.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ QTestState *qtest_init(const char *extra_args)
     qemu_binary = getenv("QTEST_QEMU_BINARY");
     g_assert(qemu_binary != NULL);
 
-    global_qtest = s = g_malloc(sizeof(*s));
+    s = g_malloc(sizeof(*s));
 
     socket_path = g_strdup_printf("/tmp/qtest-%d.sock", getpid());
     qmp_socket_path = g_strdup_printf("/tmp/qtest-%d.qmp", getpid());
@@ -181,7 +181,6 @@ QTestState *qtest_init(const char *extra_args)
 void qtest_quit(QTestState *s)
 {
     sigaction(SIGABRT, &s->sigact_old, NULL);
-    global_qtest = NULL;
 
     kill_qemu(s);
     close(s->fd);
diff --git a/tests/libqtest.h b/tests/libqtest.h
index 27a58fdb1c..8268c098bf 100644
--- a/tests/libqtest.h
+++ b/tests/libqtest.h
@@ -335,7 +335,8 @@ void qtest_add_func(const char *str, void (*fn));
  */
 static inline QTestState *qtest_start(const char *args)
 {
-    return qtest_init(args);
+    global_qtest = qtest_init(args);
+    return global_qtest;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -346,6 +347,7 @@ static inline QTestState *qtest_start(const char *args)
 static inline void qtest_end(void)
 {
     qtest_quit(global_qtest);
+    global_qtest = NULL;
 }
 
 /**