diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py b/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
index f811f6913580a8023cba639a20a62737f5765efe..d96ba1f63c48646ebaeb5a2ff38c660d74179c0e 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/iotests.py
@@ -596,9 +596,23 @@ class QMPTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.fail('path "%s" has value "%s"' % (path, str(result)))
 
     def assert_qmp(self, d, path, value):
-        '''Assert that the value for a specific path in a QMP dict matches'''
+        '''Assert that the value for a specific path in a QMP dict
+           matches.  When given a list of values, assert that any of
+           them matches.'''
+
         result = self.dictpath(d, path)
-        self.assertEqual(result, value, 'values not equal "%s" and "%s"' % (str(result), str(value)))
+
+        # [] makes no sense as a list of valid values, so treat it as
+        # an actual single value.
+        if isinstance(value, list) and value != []:
+            for v in value:
+                if result == v:
+                    return
+            self.fail('no match for "%s" in %s' % (str(result), str(value)))
+        else:
+            self.assertEqual(result, value,
+                             'values not equal "%s" and "%s"'
+                                 % (str(result), str(value)))
 
     def assert_no_active_block_jobs(self):
         result = self.vm.qmp('query-block-jobs')