diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/234 b/tests/qemu-iotests/234
index a8185b4360..c4c26bc21e 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/234
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/234
@@ -26,6 +26,22 @@ import os
 iotests.verify_image_format(supported_fmts=['qcow2'])
 iotests.verify_platform(['linux'])
 
+def enable_migration_events(vm, name):
+    iotests.log('Enabling migration QMP events on %s...' % name)
+    iotests.log(vm.qmp('migrate-set-capabilities', capabilities=[
+        {
+            'capability': 'events',
+            'state': True
+        }
+    ]))
+
+def wait_migration(vm):
+    while True:
+        event = vm.event_wait('MIGRATION')
+        iotests.log(event, filters=[iotests.filter_qmp_event])
+        if event['data']['status'] == 'completed':
+            break
+
 with iotests.FilePath('img') as img_path, \
      iotests.FilePath('backing') as backing_path, \
      iotests.FilePath('mig_fifo_a') as fifo_a, \
@@ -46,6 +62,8 @@ with iotests.FilePath('img') as img_path, \
          .add_blockdev('%s,file=drive0-backing-file,node-name=drive0-backing' % (iotests.imgfmt))
          .launch())
 
+    enable_migration_events(vm_a, 'A')
+
     iotests.log('Launching destination VM...')
     (vm_b.add_blockdev('file,filename=%s,node-name=drive0-file' % (img_path))
          .add_blockdev('%s,file=drive0-file,node-name=drive0' % (iotests.imgfmt))
@@ -54,6 +72,8 @@ with iotests.FilePath('img') as img_path, \
          .add_incoming("exec: cat '%s'" % (fifo_a))
          .launch())
 
+    enable_migration_events(vm_b, 'B')
+
     # Add a child node that was created after the parent node. The reverse case
     # is covered by the -blockdev options above.
     iotests.log(vm_a.qmp('blockdev-snapshot', node='drive0-backing',
@@ -61,22 +81,13 @@ with iotests.FilePath('img') as img_path, \
     iotests.log(vm_b.qmp('blockdev-snapshot', node='drive0-backing',
                          overlay='drive0'))
 
-    iotests.log('Enabling migration QMP events on A...')
-    iotests.log(vm_a.qmp('migrate-set-capabilities', capabilities=[
-        {
-            'capability': 'events',
-            'state': True
-        }
-    ]))
-
     iotests.log('Starting migration to B...')
     iotests.log(vm_a.qmp('migrate', uri='exec:cat >%s' % (fifo_a)))
     with iotests.Timeout(3, 'Migration does not complete'):
-        while True:
-            event = vm_a.event_wait('MIGRATION')
-            iotests.log(event, filters=[iotests.filter_qmp_event])
-            if event['data']['status'] == 'completed':
-                break
+        # Wait for the source first (which includes setup=setup)
+        wait_migration(vm_a)
+        # Wait for the destination second (which does not)
+        wait_migration(vm_b)
 
     iotests.log(vm_a.qmp('query-migrate')['return']['status'])
     iotests.log(vm_b.qmp('query-migrate')['return']['status'])
@@ -94,25 +105,18 @@ with iotests.FilePath('img') as img_path, \
          .add_incoming("exec: cat '%s'" % (fifo_b))
          .launch())
 
+    enable_migration_events(vm_a, 'A')
+
     iotests.log(vm_a.qmp('blockdev-snapshot', node='drive0-backing',
                          overlay='drive0'))
 
-    iotests.log('Enabling migration QMP events on B...')
-    iotests.log(vm_b.qmp('migrate-set-capabilities', capabilities=[
-        {
-            'capability': 'events',
-            'state': True
-        }
-    ]))
-
     iotests.log('Starting migration back to A...')
     iotests.log(vm_b.qmp('migrate', uri='exec:cat >%s' % (fifo_b)))
     with iotests.Timeout(3, 'Migration does not complete'):
-        while True:
-            event = vm_b.event_wait('MIGRATION')
-            iotests.log(event, filters=[iotests.filter_qmp_event])
-            if event['data']['status'] == 'completed':
-                break
+        # Wait for the source first (which includes setup=setup)
+        wait_migration(vm_b)
+        # Wait for the destination second (which does not)
+        wait_migration(vm_a)
 
     iotests.log(vm_a.qmp('query-migrate')['return']['status'])
     iotests.log(vm_b.qmp('query-migrate')['return']['status'])
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/234.out b/tests/qemu-iotests/234.out
index b9ed910b1a..692976d1c6 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/234.out
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/234.out
@@ -1,14 +1,18 @@
 Launching source VM...
-Launching destination VM...
-{"return": {}}
-{"return": {}}
 Enabling migration QMP events on A...
 {"return": {}}
+Launching destination VM...
+Enabling migration QMP events on B...
+{"return": {}}
+{"return": {}}
+{"return": {}}
 Starting migration to B...
 {"return": {}}
 {"data": {"status": "setup"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
 {"data": {"status": "active"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
 {"data": {"status": "completed"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
+{"data": {"status": "active"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
+{"data": {"status": "completed"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
 completed
 completed
 {"return": {"running": false, "singlestep": false, "status": "postmigrate"}}
@@ -16,14 +20,16 @@ completed
 Add a second parent to drive0-file...
 {"return": {}}
 Restart A with -incoming and second parent...
+Enabling migration QMP events on A...
 {"return": {}}
-Enabling migration QMP events on B...
 {"return": {}}
 Starting migration back to A...
 {"return": {}}
 {"data": {"status": "setup"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
 {"data": {"status": "active"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
 {"data": {"status": "completed"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
+{"data": {"status": "active"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
+{"data": {"status": "completed"}, "event": "MIGRATION", "timestamp": {"microseconds": "USECS", "seconds": "SECS"}}
 completed
 completed
 {"return": {"running": true, "singlestep": false, "status": "running"}}