diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
index 96c4f31ccf..9adf0fe16d 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
@@ -1238,6 +1238,14 @@ qemuCheckDiskConfig(virDomainDiskDefPtr disk)
             return -1;
         }
 
+        if (disk->bus == VIR_DOMAIN_DISK_BUS_SCSI &&
+            disk->src->format != VIR_STORAGE_FILE_RAW) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
+                           _("disk device 'lun' using target 'scsi' must use "
+                             "'raw' format"));
+            return -1;
+        }
+
         if (qemuDomainDefValidateDiskLunSource(disk->src) < 0)
             return -1;