diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index 158d4cbd7380236a93d0aaeed9bfdb44bca87f4e..c3d18279cefefc543c8150542e2f6bab19959c3e 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -1120,7 +1120,7 @@ test-wrap-argv:
 	$(PERL) $(top_srcdir)/tests/test-wrap-argv.pl --check $$files
 
 group-qemu-caps:
-	$(PERL) $(top_srcdir)/tests/group-qemu-caps.pl --check
+	$(PERL) $(top_srcdir)/tests/group-qemu-caps.pl --check $(top_srcdir)/
 
 # sc_po_check can fail if generated files are not built first
 sc_po_check: \
diff --git a/tests/group-qemu-caps.pl b/tests/group-qemu-caps.pl
index 847e3602542cff9656f7befcf9f9f3533d6d35ed..514764f47f0234d00115fd3f247117bb41491601 100755
--- a/tests/group-qemu-caps.pl
+++ b/tests/group-qemu-caps.pl
@@ -31,15 +31,21 @@ if (defined $ARGV[0] && $ARGV[0] eq "--check") {
     shift @ARGV;
 }
 
+my $prefix = '';
+if (defined $ARGV[0]) {
+    $prefix = $ARGV[0];
+    shift @ARGV;
+}
+
 my $ret = 0;
-if (&regroup_caps('src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c',
+if (&regroup_caps($prefix . 'src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c',
                   '^VIR_ENUM_IMPL\(virQEMUCaps,',
                   '\);',
                   0,
                   "              ") < 0) {
     $ret = 1;
 }
-if (&regroup_caps('src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h',
+if (&regroup_caps($prefix . 'src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h',
                   'virQEMUCapsFlags grouping marker',
                   'QEMU_CAPS_LAST \/\* this must',
                   1,