diff --git a/tests/ahci-test.c b/tests/ahci-test.c
index 4c77ebec7a..e77fa3a25c 100644
--- a/tests/ahci-test.c
+++ b/tests/ahci-test.c
@@ -487,7 +487,8 @@ static void qtest_shutdown(void)
  */
 static QPCIDevice *ahci_boot(void)
 {
-    qtest_boot("-drive if=none,id=drive0,file=%s,cache=writeback,serial=%s"
+    qtest_boot("-drive if=none,id=drive0,file=%s,cache=writeback,serial=%s,"
+               "format=raw"
                " -M q35 "
                "-device ide-hd,drive=drive0 "
                "-global ide-hd.ver=%s",
diff --git a/tests/bios-tables-test.c b/tests/bios-tables-test.c
index 9e4d20592b..2519f7d0e2 100644
--- a/tests/bios-tables-test.c
+++ b/tests/bios-tables-test.c
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ static void test_acpi_one(const char *params, test_data *data)
     int i;
 
     args = g_strdup_printf("-net none -display none %s "
-                           "-drive id=hd0,if=none,file=%s "
+                           "-drive id=hd0,if=none,file=%s,format=raw "
                            "-device ide-hd,drive=hd0 ",
                            params ? params : "", disk);
 
diff --git a/tests/drive_del-test.c b/tests/drive_del-test.c
index 53fa969260..8951f6f610 100644
--- a/tests/drive_del-test.c
+++ b/tests/drive_del-test.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ static void test_after_failed_device_add(void)
 static void test_drive_del_device_del(void)
 {
     /* Start with a drive used by a device that unplugs instantaneously */
-    qtest_start("-drive if=none,id=drive0,file=/dev/null"
+    qtest_start("-drive if=none,id=drive0,file=/dev/null,format=raw"
                 " -device virtio-scsi-pci"
                 " -device scsi-hd,drive=drive0,id=dev0");
 
diff --git a/tests/fdc-test.c b/tests/fdc-test.c
index 203074cdad..3c6c83cac4 100644
--- a/tests/fdc-test.c
+++ b/tests/fdc-test.c
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static void test_media_insert(void)
     /* Insert media in drive. DSKCHK should not be reset until a step pulse
      * is sent. */
     qmp_discard_response("{'execute':'change', 'arguments':{"
-                         " 'device':'floppy0', 'target': %s }}",
+                         " 'device':'floppy0', 'target': %s, 'arg': 'raw' }}",
                          test_image);
     qmp_discard_response(""); /* ignore event
                                  (FIXME open -> open transition?!) */
diff --git a/tests/hd-geo-test.c b/tests/hd-geo-test.c
index c84d1e75e0..7cc8dfff16 100644
--- a/tests/hd-geo-test.c
+++ b/tests/hd-geo-test.c
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ static int setup_ide(int argc, char *argv[], int argv_sz,
 {
     char *s1, *s2, *s3;
 
-    s1 = g_strdup_printf("-drive id=drive%d,if=%s",
+    s1 = g_strdup_printf("-drive id=drive%d,if=%s,format=raw",
                          ide_idx, dev ? "none" : "ide");
     s2 = dev ? g_strdup("") : g_strdup_printf(",index=%d", ide_idx);
 
diff --git a/tests/i440fx-test.c b/tests/i440fx-test.c
index ad232b561c..a3f72790ea 100644
--- a/tests/i440fx-test.c
+++ b/tests/i440fx-test.c
@@ -342,8 +342,9 @@ static void test_i440fx_firmware(FirmwareTestFixture *fixture,
     g_assert(fw_pathname != NULL);
 
     /* Better hope the user didn't put metacharacters in TMPDIR and co. */
-    cmdline = g_strdup_printf("-S %s %s",
-                              fixture->is_bios ? "-bios" : "-pflash",
+    cmdline = g_strdup_printf("-S %s%s", fixture->is_bios
+                                         ? "-bios "
+                                         : "-drive if=pflash,format=raw,file=",
                               fw_pathname);
     g_test_message("qemu cmdline: %s", cmdline);
     qtest_start(cmdline);
diff --git a/tests/ide-test.c b/tests/ide-test.c
index b7a97e9362..29f4039bd5 100644
--- a/tests/ide-test.c
+++ b/tests/ide-test.c
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ static void test_bmdma_no_busmaster(void)
 static void test_bmdma_setup(void)
 {
     ide_test_start(
-        "-drive file=%s,if=ide,serial=%s,cache=writeback "
+        "-drive file=%s,if=ide,serial=%s,cache=writeback,format=raw "
         "-global ide-hd.ver=%s",
         tmp_path, "testdisk", "version");
 }
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ static void test_identify(void)
     int ret;
 
     ide_test_start(
-        "-drive file=%s,if=ide,serial=%s,cache=writeback "
+        "-drive file=%s,if=ide,serial=%s,cache=writeback,format=raw "
         "-global ide-hd.ver=%s",
         tmp_path, "testdisk", "version");
 
@@ -458,7 +458,7 @@ static void test_flush(void)
     uint8_t data;
 
     ide_test_start(
-        "-drive file=blkdebug::%s,if=ide,cache=writeback",
+        "-drive file=blkdebug::%s,if=ide,cache=writeback,format=raw",
         tmp_path);
 
     /* Delay the completion of the flush request until we explicitly do it */
@@ -526,7 +526,8 @@ static void test_retry_flush(void)
 
     ide_test_start(
         "-vnc none "
-        "-drive file=blkdebug:%s:%s,if=ide,cache=writeback,rerror=stop,werror=stop",
+        "-drive file=blkdebug:%s:%s,if=ide,cache=writeback,format=raw,"
+        "rerror=stop,werror=stop",
         debug_path, tmp_path);
 
     /* FLUSH CACHE command on device 0*/
diff --git a/tests/nvme-test.c b/tests/nvme-test.c
index 85768e837b..ff38b5e48f 100644
--- a/tests/nvme-test.c
+++ b/tests/nvme-test.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     g_test_init(&argc, &argv, NULL);
     qtest_add_func("/nvme/nop", nop);
 
-    qtest_start("-drive id=drv0,if=none,file=/dev/null "
+    qtest_start("-drive id=drv0,if=none,file=/dev/null,format=raw "
                 "-device nvme,drive=drv0,serial=foo");
     ret = g_test_run();
 
diff --git a/tests/usb-hcd-uhci-test.c b/tests/usb-hcd-uhci-test.c
index 8cf2c5bcaa..6d631cf366 100644
--- a/tests/usb-hcd-uhci-test.c
+++ b/tests/usb-hcd-uhci-test.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     qtest_add_func("/uhci/pci/hotplug/usb-storage", test_usb_storage_hotplug);
 
     qtest_start("-device piix3-usb-uhci,id=uhci,addr=1d.0"
-                " -drive id=drive0,if=none,file=/dev/null"
+                " -drive id=drive0,if=none,file=/dev/null,format=raw"
                 " -device usb-tablet,bus=uhci.0,port=1");
     ret = g_test_run();
     qtest_end();
diff --git a/tests/usb-hcd-xhci-test.c b/tests/usb-hcd-xhci-test.c
index b1a7dec5bb..adf261e963 100644
--- a/tests/usb-hcd-xhci-test.c
+++ b/tests/usb-hcd-xhci-test.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     qtest_add_func("/xhci/pci/hotplug/usb-uas", test_usb_uas_hotplug);
 
     qtest_start("-device nec-usb-xhci,id=xhci"
-                " -drive id=drive0,if=none,file=/dev/null");
+                " -drive id=drive0,if=none,file=/dev/null,format=raw");
     ret = g_test_run();
     qtest_end();
 
diff --git a/tests/virtio-blk-test.c b/tests/virtio-blk-test.c
index ead3911e28..89d7cbf919 100644
--- a/tests/virtio-blk-test.c
+++ b/tests/virtio-blk-test.c
@@ -68,8 +68,8 @@ static QPCIBus *test_start(void)
     g_assert_cmpint(ret, ==, 0);
     close(fd);
 
-    cmdline = g_strdup_printf("-drive if=none,id=drive0,file=%s "
-                              "-drive if=none,id=drive1,file=/dev/null "
+    cmdline = g_strdup_printf("-drive if=none,id=drive0,file=%s,format=raw "
+                              "-drive if=none,id=drive1,file=/dev/null,format=raw "
                               "-device virtio-blk-pci,id=drv0,drive=drive0,"
                               "addr=%x.%x",
                               tmp_path, PCI_SLOT, PCI_FN);
diff --git a/tests/virtio-scsi-test.c b/tests/virtio-scsi-test.c
index 41f9602e44..989f8251c4 100644
--- a/tests/virtio-scsi-test.c
+++ b/tests/virtio-scsi-test.c
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     qtest_add_func("/virtio/scsi/pci/nop", pci_nop);
     qtest_add_func("/virtio/scsi/pci/hotplug", hotplug);
 
-    qtest_start("-drive id=drv0,if=none,file=/dev/null "
-                "-drive id=drv1,if=none,file=/dev/null "
+    qtest_start("-drive id=drv0,if=none,file=/dev/null,format=raw "
+                "-drive id=drv1,if=none,file=/dev/null,format=raw "
                 "-device virtio-scsi-pci,id=vscsi0 "
                 "-device scsi-hd,bus=vscsi0.0,drive=drv0");
     ret = g_test_run();