diff --git a/hw/lm32/milkymist.c b/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
index 9ef94883d5..93ca8bc2ac 100644
--- a/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
+++ b/hw/lm32/milkymist.c
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ static void
 milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
 {
     MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
+    const char *bios_name = machine->firmware ?: BIOS_FILENAME;
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
@@ -162,9 +163,6 @@ milkymist_init(MachineState *machine)
     }
 
     /* load bios rom */
-    if (bios_name == NULL) {
-        bios_name = BIOS_FILENAME;
-    }
     bios_filename = qemu_find_file(QEMU_FILE_TYPE_BIOS, bios_name);
 
     if (bios_filename) {