diff --git a/hw/unicore32/puv3.c b/hw/unicore32/puv3.c
index a9000617b4207b9e561af5ca6beff0acbfd2cb64..e05cbc131ed93cf6e55a3354dbccf6731b113713 100644
--- a/hw/unicore32/puv3.c
+++ b/hw/unicore32/puv3.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "hw/boards.h"
 #include "hw/loader.h"
 #include "hw/i386/pc.h"
+#include "sysemu/qtest.h"
 
 #undef DEBUG_PUV3
 #include "hw/unicore32/puv3.h"
@@ -84,6 +85,9 @@ static void puv3_load_kernel(const char *kernel_filename)
 {
     int size;
 
+    if (kernel_filename == NULL && qtest_enabled()) {
+        return;
+    }
     assert(kernel_filename != NULL);
 
     /* only zImage format supported */