diff --git a/automation/gitlab-ci/test.yaml b/automation/gitlab-ci/test.yaml
index 7cc5214630..61adc1baff 100644
--- a/automation/gitlab-ci/test.yaml
+++ b/automation/gitlab-ci/test.yaml
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@
     PCIDEV: "56:00.0"
     PCIDEV_INTR: "MSI-X"
     CONSOLE_OPTS: "console=com1 com1=115200,8n1"
+    EXTRA_XEN_OPTS: "fred"
     SUT_ADDR: test-22.testnet
   tags:
     - qubes-hw22
diff --git a/automation/scripts/qubes-x86_64.sh b/automation/scripts/qubes-x86_64.sh
index 7a59fa5f11..065f03931b 100755
--- a/automation/scripts/qubes-x86_64.sh
+++ b/automation/scripts/qubes-x86_64.sh
@@ -260,14 +260,14 @@ TFTP=/scratch/gitlab-runner/tftp
 CONTROLLER=control@thor.testnet
 
 echo "
-multiboot2 (http)/gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G console_timestamps=boot watchdog $extra_xen_opts
+multiboot2 (http)/gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G console_timestamps=boot watchdog ${EXTRA_XEN_OPTS-} $extra_xen_opts
 module2 (http)/gitlab-ci/vmlinuz console=hvc0 root=/dev/ram0 earlyprintk=xen
 module2 --nounzip (http)/gitlab-ci/initrd-dom0
 " > $TFTP/grub.cfg
 
 echo "#!ipxe
 
-kernel /gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G console_timestamps=boot watchdog $extra_xen_opts || reboot
+kernel /gitlab-ci/xen $CONSOLE_OPTS loglvl=all guest_loglvl=all dom0_mem=4G console_timestamps=boot watchdog ${EXTRA_XEN_OPTS-} $extra_xen_opts || reboot
 module /gitlab-ci/vmlinuz console=hvc0 root=/dev/ram0 earlyprintk=xen || reboot
 module /gitlab-ci/initrd-dom0 || reboot
 boot