diff --git a/scripts/qemu.py b/scripts/qemu.py
index 32b00af5cc..f7269eefbb 100644
--- a/scripts/qemu.py
+++ b/scripts/qemu.py
@@ -144,10 +144,9 @@ def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
         return False
 
     # This can be used to add an unused monitor instance.
-    def add_monitor_telnet(self, ip, port):
-        args = 'tcp:%s:%d,server,nowait,telnet' % (ip, port)
+    def add_monitor_null(self):
         self._args.append('-monitor')
-        self._args.append(args)
+        self._args.append('null')
 
     def add_fd(self, fd, fdset, opaque, opts=''):
         """
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/045 b/tests/qemu-iotests/045
index 55a5d31ca8..d5484a0ee1 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/045
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/045
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class TestSCMFd(iotests.QMPTestCase):
         qemu_img('create', '-f', iotests.imgfmt, image0, '128K')
         # Add an unused monitor, to verify it works fine when two monitor
         # instances present
-        self.vm.add_monitor_telnet("0",4445)
+        self.vm.add_monitor_null()
         self.vm.launch()
 
     def tearDown(self):