diff --git a/main-loop.c b/main-loop.c
index c3c9c28fba..8a854938e7 100644
--- a/main-loop.c
+++ b/main-loop.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "qemu-common.h"
 #include "qemu/timer.h"
 #include "qemu/sockets.h"	// struct in_addr needed for libslirp.h
+#include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 #include "slirp/libslirp.h"
 #include "qemu/main-loop.h"
 #include "block/aio.h"
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ static int os_host_main_loop_wait(int64_t timeout)
     if (!timeout && (spin_counter > MAX_MAIN_LOOP_SPIN)) {
         static bool notified;
 
-        if (!notified) {
+        if (!notified && !qtest_enabled()) {
             fprintf(stderr,
                     "main-loop: WARNING: I/O thread spun for %d iterations\n",
                     MAX_MAIN_LOOP_SPIN);
diff --git a/stubs/Makefile.objs b/stubs/Makefile.objs
index df3aa7a64e..59c5a54239 100644
--- a/stubs/Makefile.objs
+++ b/stubs/Makefile.objs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ stub-obj-y += mon-print-filename.o
 stub-obj-y += mon-protocol-event.o
 stub-obj-y += mon-set-error.o
 stub-obj-y += pci-drive-hot-add.o
+stub-obj-y += qtest.o
 stub-obj-y += reset.o
 stub-obj-y += set-fd-handler.o
 stub-obj-y += slirp.o
diff --git a/stubs/qtest.c b/stubs/qtest.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e671ed8e8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stubs/qtest.c
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+/*
+ * qtest stubs
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2014 Linaro Limited
+ * Written by Peter Maydell
+ *
+ * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU GPL, version 2 or later.
+ * See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
+ */
+
+#include "qemu-common.h"
+
+/* Needed for qtest_allowed() */
+bool qtest_allowed;