diff --git a/tests/qtest/Makefile.include b/tests/qtest/Makefile.include
index 08a48c1252..bdc93d3866 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/Makefile.include
+++ b/tests/qtest/Makefile.include
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ libqos-usb-obj-y = $(libqos-spapr-obj-y) $(libqos-pc-obj-y) tests/qtest/libqos/u
 # qos devices:
 libqos-obj-y =  $(libqgraph-obj-y)
 libqos-obj-y += $(libqos-pc-obj-y) $(libqos-spapr-obj-y)
+libqos-obj-y += tests/qtest/libqos/qos_external.o
 libqos-obj-y += tests/qtest/libqos/e1000e.o
 libqos-obj-y += tests/qtest/libqos/i2c.o
 libqos-obj-y += tests/qtest/libqos/i2c-imx.o
diff --git a/tests/qtest/libqos/qos_external.c b/tests/qtest/libqos/qos_external.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..398556dde0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qtest/libqos/qos_external.c
@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+/*
+ * libqos driver framework
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2018 Emanuele Giuseppe Esposito <e.emanuelegiuseppe@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+ */
+
+#include "qemu/osdep.h"
+#include <getopt.h>
+#include "libqtest.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qdict.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qbool.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qstring.h"
+#include "qemu/module.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qlist.h"
+#include "libqos/malloc.h"
+#include "libqos/qgraph.h"
+#include "libqos/qgraph_internal.h"
+#include "libqos/qos_external.h"
+
+
+
+void apply_to_node(const char *name, bool is_machine, bool is_abstract)
+{
+    char *machine_name = NULL;
+    if (is_machine) {
+        const char *arch = qtest_get_arch();
+        machine_name = g_strconcat(arch, "/", name, NULL);
+        name = machine_name;
+    }
+    qos_graph_node_set_availability(name, true);
+    if (is_abstract) {
+        qos_delete_cmd_line(name);
+    }
+    g_free(machine_name);
+}
+
+/**
+ * apply_to_qlist(): using QMP queries QEMU for a list of
+ * machines and devices available, and sets the respective node
+ * as true. If a node is found, also all its produced and contained
+ * child are marked available.
+ *
+ * See qos_graph_node_set_availability() for more info
+ */
+void apply_to_qlist(QList *list, bool is_machine)
+{
+    const QListEntry *p;
+    const char *name;
+    bool abstract;
+    QDict *minfo;
+    QObject *qobj;
+    QString *qstr;
+    QBool *qbool;
+
+    for (p = qlist_first(list); p; p = qlist_next(p)) {
+        minfo = qobject_to(QDict, qlist_entry_obj(p));
+        qobj = qdict_get(minfo, "name");
+        qstr = qobject_to(QString, qobj);
+        name = qstring_get_str(qstr);
+
+        qobj = qdict_get(minfo, "abstract");
+        if (qobj) {
+            qbool = qobject_to(QBool, qobj);
+            abstract = qbool_get_bool(qbool);
+        } else {
+            abstract = false;
+        }
+
+        apply_to_node(name, is_machine, abstract);
+        qobj = qdict_get(minfo, "alias");
+        if (qobj) {
+            qstr = qobject_to(QString, qobj);
+            name = qstring_get_str(qstr);
+            apply_to_node(name, is_machine, abstract);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+QGuestAllocator *get_machine_allocator(QOSGraphObject *obj)
+{
+    return obj->get_driver(obj, "memory");
+}
+
+/**
+ * allocate_objects(): given an array of nodes @arg,
+ * walks the path invoking all constructors and
+ * passing the corresponding parameter in order to
+ * continue the objects allocation.
+ * Once the test is reached, return the object it consumes.
+ *
+ * Since the machine and QEDGE_CONSUMED_BY nodes allocate
+ * memory in the constructor, g_test_queue_destroy is used so
+ * that after execution they can be safely free'd.  (The test's
+ * ->before callback is also welcome to use g_test_queue_destroy).
+ *
+ * Note: as specified in walk_path() too, @arg is an array of
+ * char *, where arg[0] is a pointer to the command line
+ * string that will be used to properly start QEMU when executing
+ * the test, and the remaining elements represent the actual objects
+ * that will be allocated.
+ */
+void *allocate_objects(QTestState *qts, char **path, QGuestAllocator **p_alloc)
+{
+    int current = 0;
+    QGuestAllocator *alloc;
+    QOSGraphObject *parent = NULL;
+    QOSGraphEdge *edge;
+    QOSGraphNode *node;
+    void *edge_arg;
+    void *obj;
+
+    node = qos_graph_get_node(path[current]);
+    g_assert(node->type == QNODE_MACHINE);
+
+    obj = qos_machine_new(node, qts);
+    qos_object_queue_destroy(obj);
+
+    alloc = get_machine_allocator(obj);
+    if (p_alloc) {
+        *p_alloc = alloc;
+    }
+
+    for (;;) {
+        if (node->type != QNODE_INTERFACE) {
+            qos_object_start_hw(obj);
+            parent = obj;
+        }
+
+        /* follow edge and get object for next node constructor */
+        current++;
+        edge = qos_graph_get_edge(path[current - 1], path[current]);
+        node = qos_graph_get_node(path[current]);
+
+        if (node->type == QNODE_TEST) {
+            g_assert(qos_graph_edge_get_type(edge) == QEDGE_CONSUMED_BY);
+            return obj;
+        }
+
+        switch (qos_graph_edge_get_type(edge)) {
+        case QEDGE_PRODUCES:
+            obj = parent->get_driver(parent, path[current]);
+            break;
+
+        case QEDGE_CONSUMED_BY:
+            edge_arg = qos_graph_edge_get_arg(edge);
+            obj = qos_driver_new(node, obj, alloc, edge_arg);
+            qos_object_queue_destroy(obj);
+            break;
+
+        case QEDGE_CONTAINS:
+            obj = parent->get_device(parent, path[current]);
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/tests/qtest/libqos/qos_external.h b/tests/qtest/libqos/qos_external.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b44930c55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qtest/libqos/qos_external.h
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * libqos driver framework
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2018 Emanuele Giuseppe Esposito <e.emanuelegiuseppe@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+ */
+
+#ifndef QOS_EXTERNAL_H
+#define QOS_EXTERNAL_H
+#include "libqos/qgraph.h"
+
+void apply_to_node(const char *name, bool is_machine, bool is_abstract);
+void apply_to_qlist(QList *list, bool is_machine);
+QGuestAllocator *get_machine_allocator(QOSGraphObject *obj);
+void *allocate_objects(QTestState *qts, char **path, QGuestAllocator **p_alloc);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/tests/qtest/qos-test.c b/tests/qtest/qos-test.c
index fd70d73ea5..ad193f43a5 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/qos-test.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/qos-test.c
@@ -27,65 +27,11 @@
 #include "libqos/malloc.h"
 #include "libqos/qgraph.h"
 #include "libqos/qgraph_internal.h"
+#include "libqos/qos_external.h"
 
 static char *old_path;
 
-static void apply_to_node(const char *name, bool is_machine, bool is_abstract)
-{
-    char *machine_name = NULL;
-    if (is_machine) {
-        const char *arch = qtest_get_arch();
-        machine_name = g_strconcat(arch, "/", name, NULL);
-        name = machine_name;
-    }
-    qos_graph_node_set_availability(name, true);
-    if (is_abstract) {
-        qos_delete_cmd_line(name);
-    }
-    g_free(machine_name);
-}
 
-/**
- * apply_to_qlist(): using QMP queries QEMU for a list of
- * machines and devices available, and sets the respective node
- * as true. If a node is found, also all its produced and contained
- * child are marked available.
- *
- * See qos_graph_node_set_availability() for more info
- */
-static void apply_to_qlist(QList *list, bool is_machine)
-{
-    const QListEntry *p;
-    const char *name;
-    bool abstract;
-    QDict *minfo;
-    QObject *qobj;
-    QString *qstr;
-    QBool *qbool;
-
-    for (p = qlist_first(list); p; p = qlist_next(p)) {
-        minfo = qobject_to(QDict, qlist_entry_obj(p));
-        qobj = qdict_get(minfo, "name");
-        qstr = qobject_to(QString, qobj);
-        name = qstring_get_str(qstr);
-
-        qobj = qdict_get(minfo, "abstract");
-        if (qobj) {
-            qbool = qobject_to(QBool, qobj);
-            abstract = qbool_get_bool(qbool);
-        } else {
-            abstract = false;
-        }
-
-        apply_to_node(name, is_machine, abstract);
-        qobj = qdict_get(minfo, "alias");
-        if (qobj) {
-            qstr = qobject_to(QString, qobj);
-            name = qstring_get_str(qstr);
-            apply_to_node(name, is_machine, abstract);
-        }
-    }
-}
 
 /**
  * qos_set_machines_devices_available(): sets availability of qgraph
@@ -129,10 +75,6 @@ static void qos_set_machines_devices_available(void)
     qobject_unref(response);
 }
 
-static QGuestAllocator *get_machine_allocator(QOSGraphObject *obj)
-{
-    return obj->get_driver(obj, "memory");
-}
 
 static void restart_qemu_or_continue(char *path)
 {
@@ -159,78 +101,6 @@ void qos_invalidate_command_line(void)
     old_path = NULL;
 }
 
-/**
- * allocate_objects(): given an array of nodes @arg,
- * walks the path invoking all constructors and
- * passing the corresponding parameter in order to
- * continue the objects allocation.
- * Once the test is reached, return the object it consumes.
- *
- * Since the machine and QEDGE_CONSUMED_BY nodes allocate
- * memory in the constructor, g_test_queue_destroy is used so
- * that after execution they can be safely free'd.  (The test's
- * ->before callback is also welcome to use g_test_queue_destroy).
- *
- * Note: as specified in walk_path() too, @arg is an array of
- * char *, where arg[0] is a pointer to the command line
- * string that will be used to properly start QEMU when executing
- * the test, and the remaining elements represent the actual objects
- * that will be allocated.
- */
-static void *allocate_objects(QTestState *qts, char **path, QGuestAllocator **p_alloc)
-{
-    int current = 0;
-    QGuestAllocator *alloc;
-    QOSGraphObject *parent = NULL;
-    QOSGraphEdge *edge;
-    QOSGraphNode *node;
-    void *edge_arg;
-    void *obj;
-
-    node = qos_graph_get_node(path[current]);
-    g_assert(node->type == QNODE_MACHINE);
-
-    obj = qos_machine_new(node, qts);
-    qos_object_queue_destroy(obj);
-
-    alloc = get_machine_allocator(obj);
-    if (p_alloc) {
-        *p_alloc = alloc;
-    }
-
-    for (;;) {
-        if (node->type != QNODE_INTERFACE) {
-            qos_object_start_hw(obj);
-            parent = obj;
-        }
-
-        /* follow edge and get object for next node constructor */
-        current++;
-        edge = qos_graph_get_edge(path[current - 1], path[current]);
-        node = qos_graph_get_node(path[current]);
-
-        if (node->type == QNODE_TEST) {
-            g_assert(qos_graph_edge_get_type(edge) == QEDGE_CONSUMED_BY);
-            return obj;
-        }
-
-        switch (qos_graph_edge_get_type(edge)) {
-        case QEDGE_PRODUCES:
-            obj = parent->get_driver(parent, path[current]);
-            break;
-
-        case QEDGE_CONSUMED_BY:
-            edge_arg = qos_graph_edge_get_arg(edge);
-            obj = qos_driver_new(node, obj, alloc, edge_arg);
-            qos_object_queue_destroy(obj);
-            break;
-
-        case QEDGE_CONTAINS:
-            obj = parent->get_device(parent, path[current]);
-            break;
-        }
-    }
-}
 
 /* The argument to run_one_test, which is the test function that is registered
  * with GTest, is a vector of strings.  The first item is the initial command
