diff --git a/gnu/build/marionette.scm b/gnu/build/marionette.scm
index 7554a710a..173a67cef 100644
--- a/gnu/build/marionette.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/marionette.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2016, 2017 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2016, 2017, 2018 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -97,8 +97,11 @@ QEMU monitor and to the guest's backdoor REPL."
           "-monitor" (string-append "unix:" socket-directory "/monitor")
           "-chardev" (string-append "socket,id=repl,path=" socket-directory
                                     "/repl")
+
+          ;; See
+          ;; <http://www.linux-kvm.org/page/VMchannel_Requirements#Invocation>.
           "-device" "virtio-serial"
-          "-device" "virtconsole,chardev=repl"))
+          "-device" "virtserialport,chardev=repl,name=org.gnu.guix.port.0"))
 
   (define (accept* port)
     (match (select (list port) '() (list port) timeout)
diff --git a/gnu/tests.scm b/gnu/tests.scm
index 3e4c3d4e3..31249f0be 100644
--- a/gnu/tests.scm
+++ b/gnu/tests.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2016, 2017 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2016, 2017, 2018 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2017 Mathieu Othacehe <m.othacehe@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2017 Tobias Geerinckx-Rice <me@tobias.gr>
 ;;;
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
   marionette-configuration make-marionette-configuration
   marionette-configuration?
   (device           marionette-configuration-device ;string
-                    (default "/dev/hvc0"))
+                    (default "/dev/virtio-ports/org.gnu.guix.port.0"))
   (imported-modules marionette-configuration-imported-modules
                     (default '()))
   (requirements     marionette-configuration-requirements ;list of symbols
@@ -87,17 +87,10 @@
 
             (modules '((ice-9 match)
                        (srfi srfi-9 gnu)
-                       (guix build syscalls)
                        (rnrs bytevectors)))
             (start
-             (with-imported-modules `((guix build syscalls)
-                                      ,@imported-modules)
+             (with-imported-modules imported-modules
                #~(lambda ()
-                   (define (clear-echo termios)
-                     (set-field termios (termios-local-flags)
-                                (logand (lognot (local-flags ECHO))
-                                        (termios-local-flags termios))))
-
                    (define (self-quoting? x)
                      (letrec-syntax ((one-of (syntax-rules ()
                                                ((_) #f)
@@ -112,20 +105,7 @@
                       (dynamic-wind
                         (const #t)
                         (lambda ()
-                          (let* ((repl    (open-file #$device "r+0"))
-                                 (termios (tcgetattr (fileno repl)))
-                                 (console (open-file "/dev/console" "r+0")))
-                            ;; Don't echo input back.
-                            (tcsetattr (fileno repl) (tcsetattr-action TCSANOW)
-                                       (clear-echo termios))
-
-                            ;; Redirect output to the console.
-                            (close-fdes 1)
-                            (close-fdes 2)
-                            (dup2 (fileno console) 1)
-                            (dup2 (fileno console) 2)
-                            (close-port console)
-
+                          (let ((repl (open-file #$device "r+0")))
                             (display 'ready repl)
                             (let loop ()
                               (newline repl)
diff --git a/gnu/tests/base.scm b/gnu/tests/base.scm
index 1bc7a7027..64332000a 100644
--- a/gnu/tests/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/tests/base.scm
@@ -323,11 +323,6 @@ info --version")
             'success!
             (marionette-eval '(begin
                                 ;; Make sure the (guix …) modules are found.
-                                ;;
-                                ;; XXX: Currently shepherd and marionette run
-                                ;; on Guile 2.0 whereas Guix is on 2.2.  Yet
-                                ;; we should be able to load the 2.0 Scheme
-                                ;; files since it's pure Scheme.
                                 (add-to-load-path
                                  #+(file-append guix "/share/guile/site/2.2"))
 
@@ -337,9 +332,12 @@ info --version")
                                   (guard (c ((nix-protocol-error? c)
                                              (and (file-exists? system)
                                                   'success!)))
-                                    (with-store store
-                                      (delete-paths store (list system))
-                                      #f))))
+                                    (parameterize ((current-build-output-port
+                                                    (open-file "/dev/console"
+                                                               "r+0")))
+                                     (with-store store
+                                       (delete-paths store (list system))
+                                       #f)))))
                              marionette))
 
           ;; This symlink is currently unused, but better have it point to the