diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/libvirt/test_driver.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/libvirt/test_driver.py
index fdcb872a83cd..c213fe64f09c 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/libvirt/test_driver.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/libvirt/test_driver.py
@@ -3635,6 +3635,7 @@ class LibvirtConnTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
                               vconfig.LibvirtConfigMemoryBalloon)
 
         self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[4].target_name, "com.redhat.spice.0")
+        self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[4].type, 'spicevmc')
         self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[5].type, "spice")
         self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[6].type, "qxl")
 
@@ -4221,6 +4222,7 @@ class LibvirtConnTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[4].type, "tablet")
         self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[5].target_name, "com.redhat.spice.0")
+        self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[5].type, 'spicevmc')
         self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[6].type, "vnc")
         self.assertEqual(cfg.devices[7].type, "spice")
 
diff --git a/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py b/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
index 0aad4105a436..7f6a5929aeaf 100644
--- a/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
+++ b/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
@@ -4717,6 +4717,7 @@ class LibvirtDriver(driver.ComputeDriver):
         if (CONF.spice.enabled and CONF.spice.agent_enabled and
                 virt_type not in ('lxc', 'uml', 'xen')):
             channel = vconfig.LibvirtConfigGuestChannel()
+            channel.type = 'spicevmc'
             channel.target_name = "com.redhat.spice.0"
             guest.add_device(channel)