diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/testrunner.py b/tests/qemu-iotests/testrunner.py
index a581be6a29..24b3fba115 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/testrunner.py
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/testrunner.py
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def do_run_test(self, test: str) -> TestResult:
 
         with f_test.open(encoding="utf-8") as f:
             try:
-                if f.readline() == '#!/usr/bin/env python3':
+                if f.readline().rstrip() == '#!/usr/bin/env python3':
                     args.insert(0, self.env.python)
             except UnicodeDecodeError:  # binary test? for future.
                 pass