diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
index b5ed30c..a4e74bc 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
@@ -1155,7 +1155,6 @@ virQEMUCapsComputeCmdFlags(const char *help,
             virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV_SPICEPORT);
     }
     if (strstr(help, "-device")) {
-        virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE);
         /*
          * When -device was introduced, qemu already supported drive's
          * readonly option but didn't advertise that.
@@ -3170,8 +3169,7 @@ virQEMUCapsInitHelp(virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps, uid_t runUid, gid_t runGid, const c
 
     /* virQEMUCapsExtractDeviceStr will only set additional caps if qemu
      * understands the 0.13.0+ notion of "-device driver,".  */
-    if (virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE) &&
-        strstr(help, "-device driver,?") &&
+    if (strstr(help, "-device driver,?") &&
         virQEMUCapsExtractDeviceStr(qemuCaps->binary,
                                     qemuCaps, runUid, runGid) < 0) {
         goto cleanup;
@@ -3213,7 +3211,6 @@ virQEMUCapsInitQMPBasic(virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps)
     virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DRIVE_SERIAL);
     virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV);
     virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON);
-    virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE);
     virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_SDL);
     virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY);
     virQEMUCapsSet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_NETDEV);
@@ -3827,8 +3824,7 @@ virQEMUCapsSupportsChardev(virDomainDefPtr def,
                            virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
                            virDomainChrDefPtr chr)
 {
-    if (!virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV) ||
-        !virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE))
+    if (!virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV))
         return false;
 
     if ((def->os.arch == VIR_ARCH_PPC) || ARCH_IS_PPC64(def->os.arch)) {
@@ -3998,8 +3994,7 @@ virQEMUCapsFillDomainDeviceHostdevCaps(virQEMUCapsPtr qemuCaps,
     VIR_DOMAIN_CAPS_ENUM_SET(hostdev->subsysType,
                              VIR_DOMAIN_HOSTDEV_SUBSYS_TYPE_USB,
                              VIR_DOMAIN_HOSTDEV_SUBSYS_TYPE_PCI);
-    if (virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE) &&
-        virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_SCSI_GENERIC))
+    if (virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_SCSI_GENERIC))
         VIR_DOMAIN_CAPS_ENUM_SET(hostdev->subsysType,
                                  VIR_DOMAIN_HOSTDEV_SUBSYS_TYPE_SCSI);
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h
index 6ea8a78..86c38d0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.h
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ typedef enum {
 
     /* 25 */
     X_QEMU_CAPS_BALLOON, /* -balloon available */
-    QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE, /* Is the new -device arg available */
+    X_QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE, /* -device available */
     QEMU_CAPS_SDL, /* Is the new -sdl arg available */
     QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY, /* -smp has sockets/cores/threads */
     QEMU_CAPS_NETDEV, /* -netdev flag & netdev_add/remove */
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.2.2-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.2.2-1.caps
index af93904..8ea30a9 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.2.2-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.2.2-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.3.1-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.3.1-1.caps
index 87d9a89..682ba0f 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.3.1-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.3.1-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.4.2-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.4.2-1.caps
index ae7f4a8..f9deeeb 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.4.2-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.4.2-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.5.3-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.5.3-1.caps
index 0db8a48..85434b8 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.5.3-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.5.3-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.6.0-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.6.0-1.caps
index 23e6920..7c88d1e 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.6.0-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.6.0-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.6.50-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.6.50-1.caps
index db56973..a37a7cf 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.6.50-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_1.6.50-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.1.1-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.1.1-1.caps
index c98a7a5..f1ad74a 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.1.1-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.1.1-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.4.0-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.4.0-1.caps
index a8e9c16..53b24b7 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.4.0-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.4.0-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.5.0-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.5.0-1.caps
index 15f56a3..fc41317 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.5.0-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.5.0-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.6.0-1.caps b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.6.0-1.caps
index 9d5c15c..e2fe62b 100644
--- a/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.6.0-1.caps
+++ b/tests/qemucapabilitiesdata/caps_2.6.0-1.caps
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
     <flag name='chardev'/>
     <flag name='enable-kvm'/>
     <flag name='monitor-json'/>
-    <flag name='device'/>
     <flag name='sdl'/>
     <flag name='smp-topology'/>
     <flag name='netdev'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemuhelptest.c b/tests/qemuhelptest.c
index 73b813e..fb3f2b5 100644
--- a/tests/qemuhelptest.c
+++ b/tests/qemuhelptest.c
@@ -70,19 +70,17 @@ static int testHelpStrParsing(const void *data)
         virQEMUCapsSet(flags, QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON);
 # endif
 
-    if (virQEMUCapsGet(info->flags, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE)) {
-        VIR_FREE(path);
-        VIR_FREE(help);
-        if (virAsprintf(&path, "%s/qemuhelpdata/%s-device", abs_srcdir,
-                        info->name) < 0)
-            goto cleanup;
-
-        if (virtTestLoadFile(path, &help) < 0)
-            goto cleanup;
-
-        if (virQEMUCapsParseDeviceStr(flags, help) < 0)
-            goto cleanup;
-    }
+    VIR_FREE(path);
+    VIR_FREE(help);
+    if (virAsprintf(&path, "%s/qemuhelpdata/%s-device", abs_srcdir,
+                    info->name) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (virtTestLoadFile(path, &help) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (virQEMUCapsParseDeviceStr(flags, help) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
 
     got = virQEMUCapsFlagsString(flags);
     expected = virQEMUCapsFlagsString(info->flags);
@@ -157,7 +155,6 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_ENABLE_KVM,
             QEMU_CAPS_SDL,
             QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV,
-            QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
             QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY,
             QEMU_CAPS_RTC,
             QEMU_CAPS_NO_HPET,
@@ -181,7 +178,6 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_ENABLE_KVM,
             QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON,
-            QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
             QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY,
             QEMU_CAPS_NETDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_RTC,
@@ -227,7 +223,6 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_MEM_PATH,
             QEMU_CAPS_SDL,
             QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV,
-            QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
             QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY,
             QEMU_CAPS_RTC,
             QEMU_CAPS_VHOST_NET,
@@ -257,7 +252,6 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_ENABLE_KVM,
             QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON,
-            QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
             QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY,
             QEMU_CAPS_NETDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_RTC,
@@ -313,7 +307,6 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_ENABLE_KVM,
             QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON,
-            QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
             QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY,
             QEMU_CAPS_NETDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_RTC,
@@ -367,7 +360,6 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_ENABLE_KVM,
             QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON,
-            QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
             QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY,
             QEMU_CAPS_NETDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_RTC,
@@ -429,7 +421,6 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_ENABLE_KVM,
             QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON,
-            QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
             QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY,
             QEMU_CAPS_NETDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_RTC,
@@ -507,7 +498,6 @@ mymain(void)
             QEMU_CAPS_CHARDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_ENABLE_KVM,
             QEMU_CAPS_MONITOR_JSON,
-            QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
             QEMU_CAPS_SMP_TOPOLOGY,
             QEMU_CAPS_NETDEV,
             QEMU_CAPS_RTC,
diff --git a/tests/qemuhotplugtest.c b/tests/qemuhotplugtest.c
index 102e052..3c1d1ec 100644
--- a/tests/qemuhotplugtest.c
+++ b/tests/qemuhotplugtest.c
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ qemuHotplugCreateObjects(virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
         goto cleanup;
 
     /* for attach & detach qemu must support -device */
-    virQEMUCapsSet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE);
     virQEMUCapsSet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_VIRTIO_SCSI);
     virQEMUCapsSet(priv->qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE_USB_STORAGE);
     if (event)
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c b/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
index 1c73e3f..0949c63 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
@@ -293,7 +293,6 @@ static int testCompareXMLToArgvFiles(const char *xml,
 
     virQEMUCapsSetList(extraFlags,
                        QEMU_CAPS_NO_ACPI,
-                       QEMU_CAPS_DEVICE,
                        QEMU_CAPS_LAST);
 
     if (STREQ(vmdef->os.machine, "pc") &&
