diff --git a/tests/drive_del-test.c b/tests/drive_del-test.c
index 39c56fc78c..a5de2395d6 100644
--- a/tests/drive_del-test.c
+++ b/tests/drive_del-test.c
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ static void test_drive_without_dev(void)
     qtest_start("-drive if=none,id=drive0");
 
     /* Delete the drive */
-    response = qmp("{\"execute\": \"human-monitor-command\","
-                   " \"arguments\": {"
-                   "   \"command-line\": \"drive_del drive0\""
+    response = qmp("{'execute': 'human-monitor-command',"
+                   " 'arguments': {"
+                   "   'command-line': 'drive_del drive0'"
                    "}}");
     g_assert(response);
     response_return = qdict_get_try_str(response, "return");
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ static void test_drive_without_dev(void)
     /* Ensure re-adding the drive works - there should be no duplicate ID error
      * because the old drive must be gone.
      */
-    response = qmp("{\"execute\": \"human-monitor-command\","
-                   " \"arguments\": {"
-                   "   \"command-line\": \"drive_add 0 if=none,id=drive0\""
+    response = qmp("{'execute': 'human-monitor-command',"
+                   " 'arguments': {"
+                   "   'command-line': 'drive_add 0 if=none,id=drive0'"
                    "}}");
     g_assert(response);
     response_return = qdict_get_try_str(response, "return");
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ static void test_after_failed_device_add(void)
     /* Make device_add fail.  If this leaks the virtio-blk-pci device then a
      * reference to drive0 will also be held (via qdev properties).
      */
-    response = qmp("{\"execute\": \"device_add\","
-                   " \"arguments\": {"
-                   "   \"driver\": \"virtio-blk-pci\","
-                   "   \"drive\": \"drive0\""
+    response = qmp("{'execute': 'device_add',"
+                   " 'arguments': {"
+                   "   'driver': 'virtio-blk-pci',"
+                   "   'drive': 'drive0'"
                    "}}");
     g_assert(response);
     error = qdict_get_qdict(response, "error");
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ static void test_after_failed_device_add(void)
     QDECREF(response);
 
     /* Delete the drive */
-    response = qmp("{\"execute\": \"human-monitor-command\","
-                   " \"arguments\": {"
-                   "   \"command-line\": \"drive_del drive0\""
+    response = qmp("{'execute': 'human-monitor-command',"
+                   " 'arguments': {"
+                   "   'command-line': 'drive_del drive0'"
                    "}}");
     g_assert(response);
     g_assert_cmpstr(qdict_get_try_str(response, "return"), ==, "");
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ static void test_after_failed_device_add(void)
     /* Try to re-add the drive.  This fails with duplicate IDs if a leaked
      * virtio-blk-pci exists that holds a reference to the old drive0.
      */
-    response = qmp("{\"execute\": \"human-monitor-command\","
-                   " \"arguments\": {"
-                   "   \"command-line\": \"drive_add pci-addr=auto if=none,id=drive0\""
+    response = qmp("{'execute': 'human-monitor-command',"
+                   " 'arguments': {"
+                   "   'command-line': 'drive_add pci-addr=auto if=none,id=drive0'"
                    "}}");
     g_assert(response);
     g_assert_cmpstr(qdict_get_try_str(response, "return"), ==, "OK\r\n");