diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/kvm_util.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/kvm_util.c
index 8754abaff5e9..1b197426f29f 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/kvm_util.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/lib/kvm_util.c
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ int open_path_or_exit(const char *path, int flags)
 	int fd;
 
 	fd = open(path, flags);
-	__TEST_REQUIRE(fd >= 0, "%s not available (errno: %d)", path, errno);
+	__TEST_REQUIRE(fd >= 0 || errno != ENOENT, "Cannot open %s: %s", path, strerror(errno));
+	TEST_ASSERT(fd >= 0, "Failed to open '%s'", path);
 
 	return fd;
 }