diff --git a/tests/unit/test-qdev-global-props.c b/tests/unit/test-qdev-global-props.c
index 1eb95d2429..d2f9800148 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test-qdev-global-props.c
+++ b/tests/unit/test-qdev-global-props.c
@@ -72,6 +72,26 @@ static const TypeInfo subclass_type = {
     .parent = TYPE_STATIC_PROPS,
 };
 
+/*
+ * Initialize a fake machine, being prepared for future tests.
+ *
+ * All the tests later (even if to be run in subprocesses.. which will
+ * inherit the global states of the parent process) will try to create qdev
+ * and realize the device.
+ *
+ * Realization of such anonymous qdev (with no parent object) requires both
+ * the machine object and its "unattached" container to be at least present.
+ */
+static void test_init_machine(void)
+{
+    /* This is a fake machine - it doesn't need to be a machine object */
+    Object *machine = object_property_add_new_container(
+        object_get_root(), "machine");
+
+    /* This container must exist for anonymous qdevs to realize() */
+    object_property_add_new_container(machine, "unattached");
+}
+
 /* Test simple static property setting to default value */
 static void test_static_prop_subprocess(void)
 {
@@ -295,6 +315,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     type_register_static(&nohotplug_type);
     type_register_static(&nondevice_type);
 
+    test_init_machine();
+
     g_test_add_func("/qdev/properties/static/default/subprocess",
                     test_static_prop_subprocess);
     g_test_add_func("/qdev/properties/static/default",