diff --git a/tests/avocado/avocado_qemu/__init__.py b/tests/avocado/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
index a313e88c07e3..cb71f50db91c 100644
--- a/tests/avocado/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/avocado/avocado_qemu/__init__.py
@@ -309,6 +309,16 @@ def require_netdev(self, netdevname):
         if netdevhelp.find('\n' + netdevname + '\n') < 0:
             self.cancel('no support for user networking')
 
+    def require_multiprocess(self):
+        """
+        Test for the presence of the x-pci-proxy-dev which is required
+        to support multiprocess.
+        """
+        devhelp = run_cmd([self.qemu_bin,
+                           '-M', 'none', '-device', 'help'])[0];
+        if devhelp.find('x-pci-proxy-dev') < 0:
+            self.cancel('no support for multiprocess device emulation')
+
     def _new_vm(self, name, *args):
         self._sd = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="qemu_")
         vm = QEMUMachine(self.qemu_bin, base_temp_dir=self.workdir,
diff --git a/tests/avocado/multiprocess.py b/tests/avocado/multiprocess.py
index 80a3b8f442b9..9112a4cacc6e 100644
--- a/tests/avocado/multiprocess.py
+++ b/tests/avocado/multiprocess.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ def do_test(self, kernel_url, initrd_url, kernel_command_line,
                 machine_type):
         """Main test method"""
         self.require_accelerator('kvm')
+        self.require_multiprocess()
 
         # Create socketpair to connect proxy and remote processes
         proxy_sock, remote_sock = socket.socketpair(socket.AF_UNIX,