diff --git a/obs-packaging/runtime/debian.rules-template b/obs-packaging/runtime/debian.rules-template
index 84d5a6b3c0..7569f25e41 100644
--- a/obs-packaging/runtime/debian.rules-template
+++ b/obs-packaging/runtime/debian.rules-template
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ override_dh_auto_build:
 	ln -s /usr/src/packages/BUILD /usr/src/packages/BUILD/go/src/$(IMPORTNAME)
 	cd $(GOPATH)/src/$(IMPORTNAME)/; \
 	make \
-		QEMUPATH=/usr/bin/$(DEFAULT_QEMU) \
+		QEMUCMD=$(DEFAULT_QEMU) \
 		COMMIT=@HASH@ \
 		SKIP_GO_VERSION_CHECK=1
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ override_dh_auto_install:
 		DESTDIR=$(shell pwd)/debian/$(PKG_NAME)/ \
 		PREFIX=/usr \
 		COMMIT=@HASH@ \
-		QEMUPATH=/usr/bin/$(DEFAULT_QEMU) \
+		QEMUCMD=$(DEFAULT_QEMU) \
 		SKIP_GO_VERSION_CHECK=1
 
 	sed -i -e '/^initrd =/d' $(shell pwd)/debian/$(PKG_NAME)/usr/share/defaults/kata-containers/configuration.toml
diff --git a/obs-packaging/runtime/kata-runtime.spec-template b/obs-packaging/runtime/kata-runtime.spec-template
index 44fecd8e77..d569dd6643 100644
--- a/obs-packaging/runtime/kata-runtime.spec-template
+++ b/obs-packaging/runtime/kata-runtime.spec-template
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ mkdir -p $HOME/rpmbuild/BUILD/go/src/%{DOMAIN}/%{ORG}
 ln -s $HOME/rpmbuild/BUILD/kata-runtime-%{version} $HOME/rpmbuild/BUILD/go/src/%{IMPORTNAME}
 cd $HOME/rpmbuild/BUILD/go/src/%{IMPORTNAME}
 make \
-    QEMUPATH=/usr/bin/%{DEFAULT_QEMU} \
+    QEMUCMD=%{DEFAULT_QEMU} \
     COMMIT=@HASH@  \
     SKIP_GO_VERSION_CHECK=1
 
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ cd $HOME/rpmbuild/BUILD/go/src/%{IMPORTNAME}
 make \
     DESTDIR=%{buildroot} \
     PREFIX=/usr \
-    QEMUPATH=/usr/bin/%{DEFAULT_QEMU} \
+    QEMUCMD=%{DEFAULT_QEMU} \
     COMMIT=@HASH@ \
     SKIP_GO_VERSION_CHECK=1 \
     install