diff --git a/automation/gitlab-ci/test.yaml b/automation/gitlab-ci/test.yaml
index 9c0e08d456..d790bd36c7 100644
--- a/automation/gitlab-ci/test.yaml
+++ b/automation/gitlab-ci/test.yaml
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@
     LOGFILE: smoke-test.log
     PCIDEV: "03:00.0"
     PCIDEV_INTR: "MSI-X"
+    CONSOLE_OPTS: "console=com1 com1=115200,8n1"
   artifacts:
     paths:
       - smoke.serial
diff --git a/automation/scripts/qubes-x86-64.sh b/automation/scripts/qubes-x86-64.sh
index 4f17f1dd0b..98137bb772 100755
--- a/automation/scripts/qubes-x86-64.sh
+++ b/automation/scripts/qubes-x86-64.sh
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ TFTP=/scratch/gitlab-runner/tftp
 CONTROLLER=control@thor.testnet
 
 echo "
-multiboot2 (http)/gitlab-ci/xen console=com1 com1=115200,8n1 loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G $extra_xen_opts
+multiboot2 (http)/gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G $extra_xen_opts
 module2 (http)/gitlab-ci/vmlinuz console=hvc0 root=/dev/ram0
 module2 (http)/gitlab-ci/initrd-dom0
 " > $TFTP/grub.cfg