diff --git a/hw/sh4/shix.c b/hw/sh4/shix.c
index f410c08883..d9a9fcbc59 100644
--- a/hw/sh4/shix.c
+++ b/hw/sh4/shix.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ static void shix_init(MachineState *machine)
     MemoryRegion *sysmem = get_system_memory();
     MemoryRegion *rom = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
     MemoryRegion *sdram = g_new(MemoryRegion, 2);
+    const char *bios_name = machine->firmware ?: BIOS_FILENAME;
     
     cpu = SUPERH_CPU(cpu_create(machine->cpu_type));
 
@@ -63,8 +64,6 @@ static void shix_init(MachineState *machine)
     memory_region_add_subregion(sysmem, 0x0c000000, &sdram[1]);
 
     /* Load BIOS in 0 (and access it through P2, 0xA0000000) */
-    if (bios_name == NULL)
-        bios_name = BIOS_FILENAME;
     ret = load_image_targphys(bios_name, 0, 0x4000);
     if (ret < 0 && !qtest_enabled()) {
         error_report("Could not load SHIX bios '%s'", bios_name);