diff --git a/src/xenconfig/xen_common.c b/src/xenconfig/xen_common.c
index 6c27936f71..13646dffb4 100644
--- a/src/xenconfig/xen_common.c
+++ b/src/xenconfig/xen_common.c
@@ -1090,7 +1090,7 @@ xenParseGeneralMeta(virConfPtr conf, virDomainDefPtr def, virCapsPtr caps)
 {
     virCapsDomainDataPtr capsdata = NULL;
     VIR_AUTOFREE(char *) str = NULL;
-    int hvm = 0, ret = -1;
+    int ret = -1;
 
     if (xenConfigCopyString(conf, "name", &def->name) < 0)
         goto out;
@@ -1098,11 +1098,15 @@ xenParseGeneralMeta(virConfPtr conf, virDomainDefPtr def, virCapsPtr caps)
     if (xenConfigGetUUID(conf, "uuid", def->uuid) < 0)
         goto out;
 
+    def->os.type = VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_XEN;
+
     if (xenConfigGetString(conf, "type", &str, NULL) == 0 && str) {
         if (STREQ(str, "pv")) {
-            hvm = 0;
+            def->os.type = VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_XEN;
+        } else if (STREQ(str, "pvh")) {
+            def->os.type = VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_XENPVH;
         } else if (STREQ(str, "hvm")) {
-            hvm = 1;
+            def->os.type = VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_HVM;
         } else {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
                            _("type %s is not supported"), str);
@@ -1110,12 +1114,11 @@ xenParseGeneralMeta(virConfPtr conf, virDomainDefPtr def, virCapsPtr caps)
         }
     } else {
         if ((xenConfigGetString(conf, "builder", &str, "linux") == 0) &&
-            STREQ(str, "hvm"))
-            hvm = 1;
+            STREQ(str, "hvm")) {
+            def->os.type = VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_HVM;
+        }
     }
 
-    def->os.type = (hvm ? VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_HVM : VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_XEN);
-
     if (!(capsdata = virCapabilitiesDomainDataLookup(caps, def->os.type,
             VIR_ARCH_NONE, def->virtType, NULL, NULL)))
         goto out;
diff --git a/src/xenconfig/xen_xl.c b/src/xenconfig/xen_xl.c
index 7250e5735d..70059df667 100644
--- a/src/xenconfig/xen_xl.c
+++ b/src/xenconfig/xen_xl.c
@@ -1287,6 +1287,11 @@ xenFormatXLOS(virConfPtr conf, virDomainDefPtr def)
 
         /* XXX floppy disks */
     } else {
+        if (def->os.type == VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_XENPVH) {
+            if (xenConfigSetString(conf, "type", "pvh") < 0)
+                return -1;
+        }
+
         if (def->os.bootloader &&
              xenConfigSetString(conf, "bootloader", def->os.bootloader) < 0)
             return -1;
diff --git a/tests/testutilsxen.c b/tests/testutilsxen.c
index d34be72296..2c347a7f3f 100644
--- a/tests/testutilsxen.c
+++ b/tests/testutilsxen.c
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ testXLInitCaps(void)
         "xenfv"
     };
     static const char *const xen_machines[] = {
-        "xenpv"
+        "xenpv",
+    };
+    static const char *const pvh_machines[] = {
+        "xenpvh",
     };
 
     if ((caps = virCapabilitiesNew(virArchFromHost(),
@@ -51,6 +54,21 @@ testXLInitCaps(void)
         goto cleanup;
     machines = NULL;
 
+    if (virCapabilitiesAddGuestDomain(guest, VIR_DOMAIN_VIRT_XEN, NULL,
+                                      NULL, 0, NULL) == NULL)
+        goto cleanup;
+    nmachines = ARRAY_CARDINALITY(pvh_machines);
+    if ((machines = virCapabilitiesAllocMachines(pvh_machines, nmachines)) == NULL)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if ((guest = virCapabilitiesAddGuest(caps, VIR_DOMAIN_OSTYPE_XENPVH,
+                                         VIR_ARCH_X86_64,
+                                         "/usr/lib/xen/bin/qemu-system-i386",
+                                         NULL,
+                                         nmachines, machines)) == NULL)
+        goto cleanup;
+    machines = NULL;
+
     if (virCapabilitiesAddGuestDomain(guest, VIR_DOMAIN_VIRT_XEN, NULL,
                                       NULL, 0, NULL) == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tests/xlconfigdata/test-pvh-type.cfg b/tests/xlconfigdata/test-pvh-type.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..24935350ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/xlconfigdata/test-pvh-type.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+name = "XenGuest2"
+uuid = "c7a5fdb2-cdaf-9455-926a-d65c16db1809"
+maxmem = 579
+memory = 394
+vcpus = 1
+localtime = 0
+on_poweroff = "destroy"
+on_reboot = "restart"
+on_crash = "restart"
+type = "pvh"
+kernel = "/tmp/vmlinuz"
+ramdisk = "/tmp/initrd"
+cmdline = "root=/dev/xvda1 console=hvc0"
diff --git a/tests/xlconfigdata/test-pvh-type.xml b/tests/xlconfigdata/test-pvh-type.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dc5f452f10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/xlconfigdata/test-pvh-type.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+<domain type='xen'>
+  <name>XenGuest2</name>
+  <uuid>c7a5fdb2-cdaf-9455-926a-d65c16db1809</uuid>
+  <memory unit='KiB'>592896</memory>
+  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>403456</currentMemory>
+  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
+  <os>
+    <type arch='x86_64' machine='xenpvh'>xenpvh</type>
+    <kernel>/tmp/vmlinuz</kernel>
+    <initrd>/tmp/initrd</initrd>
+    <cmdline>root=/dev/xvda1 console=hvc0</cmdline>
+  </os>
+  <clock offset='utc' adjustment='reset'/>
+  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
+  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
+  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
+  <devices>
+    <console type='pty'>
+      <target type='xen' port='0'/>
+    </console>
+    <input type='mouse' bus='xen'/>
+    <input type='keyboard' bus='xen'/>
+    <memballoon model='xen'/>
+  </devices>
+</domain>
diff --git a/tests/xlconfigtest.c b/tests/xlconfigtest.c
index 6e3267ebc9..5159182d83 100644
--- a/tests/xlconfigtest.c
+++ b/tests/xlconfigtest.c
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ mymain(void)
     DO_TEST("rbd-multihost-noauth");
     DO_TEST_FORMAT("paravirt-type", false);
     DO_TEST_FORMAT("fullvirt-type", false);
+    DO_TEST("pvh-type");
 
 #ifdef LIBXL_HAVE_DEVICE_CHANNEL
     DO_TEST("channel-pty");