diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/app.py b/qubesadmin/tests/app.py
index 74f9226..21c5bd7 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tests/app.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/app.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class TC_10_QubesBase(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
             'memory': 'default=False type=int 400',
             'kernel': 'default=False type=str 4.9.31',
             'netvm': 'default=False type=vm test-net',
-            'hvm': 'default=False type=bool True',
+            'virt_mode': 'default=False type=str hvm',
             'default_user': 'default=True type=str user',
         }
         self.app.expected_calls[
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/backup/__init__.py b/qubesadmin/tests/backup/__init__.py
index 34a8a25..bdeb1f3 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tests/backup/__init__.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/backup/__init__.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class BackupTestCase(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
         testvm2 = self.app.add_new_vm('StandaloneVM',
                                       name=vmname,
                                       label='red')
-        testvm2.hvm = True
+        testvm2.virt_mode = 'hvm'
         testvm2.create_on_disk(pool=pool)
         self.fill_image(testvm2.storage.export('root'), 1024 * 1024 * 1024, \
             True)
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/backup/backupcompatibility.py b/qubesadmin/tests/backup/backupcompatibility.py
index 7759108..b6e0d02 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tests/backup/backupcompatibility.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/backup/backupcompatibility.py
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ parsed_qubes_xml_v4 = {
             'klass': 'AppVM',
             'label': 'red',
             'properties': {
-                'hvm': 'False',
+                'virt_mode': 'hvm',
                 'kernelopts': 'nopat i8042.nokbd i8042.noaux',
                 'maxmem': '300',
                 'memory': '300',
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ parsed_qubes_xml_v4 = {
         'vault': {
             'klass': 'AppVM',
             'label': 'black',
-            'properties': {'hvm': 'False', 'maxmem': '1536', 'netvm': None},
+            'properties': {'virt_mode': 'pv', 'maxmem': '1536', 'netvm': None},
             'devices': {},
             'tags': set(),
             'features': {},
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ parsed_qubes_xml_v4 = {
             'klass': 'AppVM',
             'label': 'red',
             'properties': {
-                'hvm': 'False',
+                'virt_mode': 'pv',
                 'autostart': 'True',
                 'maxmem': '400',
                 'provides_network': 'True',
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ parsed_qubes_xml_v4 = {
         'test-hvm': {
             'klass': 'StandaloneVM',
             'label': 'purple',
-            'properties': {'hvm': 'True', 'maxmem': '4000'},
+            'properties': {'virt_mode': 'hvm', 'maxmem': '4000'},
             'devices': {},
             'tags': set(),
             'features': {'service.meminfo-writer': False},
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/backup/v4-qubes.xml b/qubesadmin/tests/backup/v4-qubes.xml
index f02c4ac..c273063 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tests/backup/v4-qubes.xml
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/backup/v4-qubes.xml
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@
     </domain>
     <domain id="domain-9" class="StandaloneVM">
       <properties>
-        <property name="hvm">True</property>
+        <property name="virt_mode">hvm</property>
         <property name="label">label-7</property>
         <property name="maxmem">4000</property>
         <property name="name">test-hvm</property>
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@
     <domain id="domain-2" class="AppVM">
       <properties>
         <property name="default_user">user</property>
-        <property name="hvm">False</property>
+        <property name="virt_mode">hvm</property>
         <property name="label">label-1</property>
         <property name="maxmem">300</property>
         <property name="memory">300</property>
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@
       <properties>
         <property name="autostart">True</property>
         <property name="label">label-1</property>
-        <property name="hvm">False</property>
+        <property name="virt_mode">pv</property>
         <property name="maxmem">400</property>
         <property name="name">sys-usb</property>
         <property name="qid">5</property>
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@
         <property name="qid">13</property>
         <property name="uuid">d5284828-988d-46e2-8388-a09c495475e3</property>
         <property name="template">fedora-25</property>
-        <property name="hvm">False</property>
+        <property name="virt_mode">pv</property>
         <property name="maxmem">1536</property>
       </properties>
       <features/>
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/tools/qvm_ls.py b/qubesadmin/tests/tools/qvm_ls.py
index cd9bddb..b2bc27c 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tests/tools/qvm_ls.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/tools/qvm_ls.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class TC_90_List_with_qubesd_calls(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
             'label': b'type=label green',
             'template': b'type=vm template1',
             'netvm': b'type=vm sys-net',
-#           'hvm': b'type=bool False',
+#           'virt_mode': b'type=str pv',
         }
         for key, value in props.items():
             self.app.expected_calls[
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tests/tools/qvm_start_gui.py b/qubesadmin/tests/tools/qvm_start_gui.py
index cc0d068..b20503d 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tests/tools/qvm_start_gui.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tests/tools/qvm_start_gui.py
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ class TC_00_qvm_start_gui(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
             ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'xid', None)] = \
                 b'0\x00default=False type=int 3000'
         self.app.expected_calls[
-            ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'hvm', None)] = \
-                b'0\x00default=False type=bool False'
+            ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'virt_mode', None)] = \
+                b'0\x00default=False type=str pv'
         self.app.expected_calls[
             ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.feature.CheckWithTemplate',
             'no-monitor-layout', None)] = \
@@ -190,8 +190,8 @@ class TC_00_qvm_start_gui(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
             ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'stubdom_xid', None)] = \
                 b'0\x00default=False type=int 3001'
         self.app.expected_calls[
-            ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'hvm', None)] = \
-                b'0\x00default=False type=bool True'
+            ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'virt_mode', None)] = \
+                b'0\x00default=False type=str hvm'
         self.app.expected_calls[
             ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'debug', None)] = \
                 b'0\x00default=False type=bool False'
@@ -230,8 +230,8 @@ class TC_00_qvm_start_gui(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
             ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'stubdom_xid', None)] = \
                 b'0\x00default=False type=int 3001'
         self.app.expected_calls[
-            ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'hvm', None)] = \
-                b'0\x00default=False type=bool True'
+            ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'virt_mode', None)] = \
+                b'0\x00default=False type=str hvm'
         self.app.expected_calls[
             ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'debug', None)] = \
                 b'0\x00default=False type=bool False'
@@ -310,8 +310,8 @@ class TC_00_qvm_start_gui(qubesadmin.tests.QubesTestCase):
             'no-monitor-layout', None)] = \
             b'2\x00QubesFeatureNotFoundError\x00\x00Feature not set\x00'
         self.app.expected_calls[
-            ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'hvm', None)] = \
-                b'0\x00default=False type=bool True'
+            ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'virt_mode', None)] = \
+                b'0\x00default=False type=str hvm'
         self.app.expected_calls[
             ('test-vm', 'admin.vm.property.Get', 'xid', None)] = \
                 b'0\x00default=False type=int 3000'
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_ls.py b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_ls.py
index acb074e..10c7570 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_ls.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_ls.py
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ class FlagsColumn(Column):
             ret = 'd'
 
         if ret is not None:
-            if getattr(vm, 'hvm', False):
+            if getattr(vm, 'virt_mode', 'pv') == 'hvm':
                 return ret.upper()
             return ret
 
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_start_gui.py b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_start_gui.py
index 6275bf3..411227f 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_start_gui.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_start_gui.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class GUILauncher(object):
         guid_cmd = self.common_guid_args(vm)
         guid_cmd.extend(['-d', str(vm.xid)])
 
-        if vm.hvm:
+        if vm.virt_mode == 'hvm':
             guid_cmd.extend(['-n'])
 
             if vm.features.check_with_template('rpc-clipboard', False):
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ class GUILauncher(object):
         if not vm.features.check_with_template('gui', True):
             return
 
-        if vm.hvm:
+        if vm.virt_mode == 'hvm':
             if force_stubdom or not os.path.exists(self.guid_pidfile(vm.xid)):
                 if not os.path.exists(self.guid_pidfile(vm.stubdom_xid)):
                     yield from self.start_gui_for_stubdomain(vm)
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ class GUILauncher(object):
         '''Handler of 'domain-spawn' event, starts GUI daemon for stubdomain'''
         if not vm.features.check_with_template('gui', True):
             return
-        if vm.hvm and kwargs.get('start_guid', 'True') == 'True':
+        if vm.virt_mode == 'hvm' and kwargs.get('start_guid', 'True') == 'True':
             asyncio.ensure_future(self.start_gui_for_stubdomain(vm))
 
     def on_domain_start(self, vm, _event, **kwargs):
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ class GUILauncher(object):
             elif power_state == 'Transient':
                 # it is still starting, we'll get 'domain-start' event when
                 # fully started
-                if vm.hvm:
+                if vm.virt_mode == 'hvm':
                     asyncio.ensure_future(self.start_gui_for_stubdomain(vm))
 
     def register_events(self, events):