diff --git a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-image-image-boot1.xml b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-image-image-boot1.xml
index 1c3916932..b5d01890f 100644
--- a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-image-image-boot1.xml
+++ b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-image-image-boot1.xml
@@ -40,8 +40,5 @@
     <input type="mouse" bus="ps2"/>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
     <console type="pty"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-qemu-sparc.xml b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-qemu-sparc.xml
index 1d91e21ac..92f0cb324 100644
--- a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-qemu-sparc.xml
+++ b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-qemu-sparc.xml
@@ -29,8 +29,5 @@
       <source mode="bind"/>
       <target type="virtio" name="org.qemu.guest_agent.0"/>
     </channel>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-default.xml b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-default.xml
index 91dc5bb3c..0a26a13a0 100644
--- a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-default.xml
+++ b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-default.xml
@@ -19,8 +19,5 @@
     </interface>
     <input type="mouse" bus="xen"/>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-hvm.xml b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-hvm.xml
index 091b3bc0f..3af66b9bb 100644
--- a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-hvm.xml
+++ b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-hvm.xml
@@ -37,8 +37,5 @@
     <input type="mouse" bus="ps2"/>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
     <console type="pty"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-default.xml b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-default.xml
index fe54640f0..79a393d5e 100644
--- a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-default.xml
+++ b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-default.xml
@@ -18,8 +18,5 @@
       <mac address="00:11:22:33:44:55"/>
     </interface>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-hvm.xml b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-hvm.xml
index 8598f9a15..a1328f01a 100644
--- a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-hvm.xml
+++ b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-hvm.xml
@@ -31,9 +31,6 @@
     </interface>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
     <console type="pty"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
 <domain type="xen">
@@ -67,8 +64,5 @@
     </interface>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
     <console type="pty"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-pv.xml b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-pv.xml
index 258eb8827..c5615c526 100644
--- a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-pv.xml
+++ b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-ia64-pv.xml
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@
       <mac address="00:11:22:33:44:55"/>
     </interface>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
 <domain type="xen">
@@ -48,8 +45,5 @@
       <mac address="00:11:22:33:44:55"/>
     </interface>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-pv.xml b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-pv.xml
index 7288a27c7..3b4ccbc68 100644
--- a/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-pv.xml
+++ b/tests/cli-test-xml/compare/virt-install-xen-pv.xml
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@
     </interface>
     <input type="mouse" bus="xen"/>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
 <domain type="xen">
@@ -50,8 +47,5 @@
     </interface>
     <input type="mouse" bus="xen"/>
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="en-us"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/xmlconfig-xml/rhel6-kvm-stage1.xml b/tests/xmlconfig-xml/rhel6-kvm-stage1.xml
index aa280c6c7..08b85f47a 100644
--- a/tests/xmlconfig-xml/rhel6-kvm-stage1.xml
+++ b/tests/xmlconfig-xml/rhel6-kvm-stage1.xml
@@ -48,8 +48,5 @@
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="ja"/>
     <console type="pty"/>
     <sound model="ich6"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/tests/xmlconfig-xml/rhel6-kvm-stage2.xml b/tests/xmlconfig-xml/rhel6-kvm-stage2.xml
index 6d56046e0..de2731f42 100644
--- a/tests/xmlconfig-xml/rhel6-kvm-stage2.xml
+++ b/tests/xmlconfig-xml/rhel6-kvm-stage2.xml
@@ -46,8 +46,5 @@
     <graphics type="vnc" port="-1" keymap="ja"/>
     <console type="pty"/>
     <sound model="ich6"/>
-    <video>
-      <model type="cirrus"/>
-    </video>
   </devices>
 </domain>
diff --git a/virtinst/guest.py b/virtinst/guest.py
index c5929ffc3..1c3bbcd98 100644
--- a/virtinst/guest.py
+++ b/virtinst/guest.py
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ class Guest(XMLBuilder):
             self._add_spice_sound()
             self._add_spice_usbredir()
 
-        video_model = self._os_object.get_videomodel(self) or "cirrus"
+        video_model = self._os_object.get_videomodel(self)
         for video in self.get_devices("video"):
             if video.model == video.MODEL_DEFAULT:
                 video.model = video_model