diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b1a1534e..7036c820 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -445,9 +445,10 @@ ruff check .
 ```
 
 > **Live Hypervisor Testing (Optional):**
-> To run tests against a live libvirt host instead of standalone mocks, set the `WEBVIRTCLOUD_TEST_LIBVIRT_URI` environment variable before running tests:
+> Without these variables the live tests use the local socket (`qemu:///system`) or are skipped. They create and delete `test*` VMs and volumes in the host's `default` pool.
 > ```bash
-> export WEBVIRTCLOUD_TEST_LIBVIRT_URI="qemu+ssh://root@compute1/system"
+> export TEST_LIBVIRT_HOST=compute1 TEST_LIBVIRT_TYPE=2   # 1 TCP, 2 SSH, 3 TLS, 4 socket
+> export TEST_LIBVIRT_LOGIN=root TEST_LIBVIRT_PASSWORD=   # login/password for TCP and TLS
 > python manage.py test
 > ```
 
diff --git a/conf/test-vm.xml b/conf/test-vm.xml
index 9750668d..07cdf6ac 100644
--- a/conf/test-vm.xml
+++ b/conf/test-vm.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <currentMemory unit="KiB">131072</currentMemory>
     <vcpu placement="static">1</vcpu>
     <os>
-        <type arch="x86_64" machine="pc-q35-5.1">hvm</type>
+        <type arch="x86_64" machine="q35">hvm</type>
         <boot dev="hd" />
         <boot dev="cdrom" />
         <bootmenu enable="yes" />
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
     <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
     <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
     <devices>
-        <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
         <disk type="file" device="disk">
             <driver name="qemu" type="qcow2" cache="directsync" />
             <source file="/var/lib/libvirt/images/test-volume.qcow2" />
diff --git a/instances/tests.py b/instances/tests.py
index e5f66703..d7a22295 100644
--- a/instances/tests.py
+++ b/instances/tests.py
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
             )
 
             # Add disks for testing
-            cls.connection.create_volume(
+            cls.volume_path = None
+            cls.volume_path = cls.connection.create_volume(
                 "default",
                 "test-volume",
                 1,
@@ -77,9 +78,15 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
             # Create testing vm from XML
             cls.connection._defineXML(cls.xml)
             refr(cls.compute)
-            cls.instance: Instance = Instance.objects.filter(compute=cls.compute).first()
+            # The compute may hold other VMs; never pick one of them.
+            cls.instance: Instance = Instance.objects.get(compute=cls.compute, name="test-vm")
         except Exception as e:
             cls.instance = None
+            if getattr(cls, "volume_path", None):
+                try:
+                    cls.connection.get_volume_by_path(cls.volume_path).delete(0)
+                except Exception:
+                    pass
             if getattr(cls, "compute", None):
                 try:
                     cls.compute.delete()
@@ -174,12 +181,14 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
                 "network-control": "default",
                 "cache_mode": "directsync",
                 "nwfilter": "",
-                "graphics": "spice",
+                "graphics": "vnc",
                 "video": "vga",
                 "listener_addr": "0.0.0.0",
                 "console_pass": "",
                 "qemu_ga": False,
                 "virtio": True,
+                "add_cdrom": "None",
+                "add_input": "None",
                 "create": True,
             },
         )
@@ -687,7 +696,8 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
         # test for non admin user with quotas
         instance_count = Instance.objects.count()
 
-        UserInstance.objects.create(user=self.test_user, instance=self.instance)
+        # Cloning needs change permission on the source VM
+        UserInstance.objects.create(user=self.test_user, instance=self.instance, is_change=True)
 
         self.client.force_login(self.test_user)
 
@@ -811,7 +821,7 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
         self.instance.is_template = True
         self.instance.save()
 
-        response = self.client.get(
+        response = self.client.post(
             reverse("instances:poweron", args=[self.instance.id]),
             HTTP_REFERER=reverse("index"),
         )
@@ -827,7 +837,7 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
         # poweron
         self.assertEqual(self.instance.status, 5)
 
-        response = self.client.get(
+        response = self.client.post(
             reverse("instances:poweron", args=[self.instance.id]),
             HTTP_REFERER=reverse("index"),
         )
@@ -838,7 +848,7 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.instance.status, 1)
 
         # suspend
-        response = self.client.get(
+        response = self.client.post(
             reverse("instances:suspend", args=[self.instance.id]),
             HTTP_REFERER=reverse("index"),
         )
@@ -848,7 +858,7 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.instance.status, 3)
 
         # resume
-        response = self.client.get(
+        response = self.client.post(
             reverse("instances:resume", args=[self.instance.id]),
             HTTP_REFERER=reverse("index"),
         )
@@ -858,7 +868,7 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.instance.status, 1)
 
         # poweroff
-        response = self.client.get(
+        response = self.client.post(
             reverse("instances:poweroff", args=[self.instance.id]),
             HTTP_REFERER=reverse("index"),
         )
@@ -869,7 +879,7 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.instance.status, 1)
 
         # powercycle
-        response = self.client.get(
+        response = self.client.post(
             reverse("instances:powercycle", args=[self.instance.id]),
             HTTP_REFERER=reverse("index"),
         )
@@ -879,7 +889,7 @@ class InstancesTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.instance.status, 1)
 
         # force_off
-        response = self.client.get(
+        response = self.client.post(
             reverse("instances:force_off", args=[self.instance.id]),
             HTTP_REFERER=reverse("index"),
         )