diff --git a/tests/test-io-channel-socket.c b/tests/test-io-channel-socket.c
index d43083a766713df3910da3fc1d24d23b6cd99535..743577d7449b91fa2b5847a346019def27b9bd24 100644
--- a/tests/test-io-channel-socket.c
+++ b/tests/test-io-channel-socket.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "socket-helpers.h"
 #include "qapi/error.h"
 #include "qemu/module.h"
+#include "qemu/main-loop.h"
 
 
 static void test_io_channel_set_socket_bufs(QIOChannel *src,
@@ -556,6 +557,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     bool has_ipv4, has_ipv6;
 
     module_call_init(MODULE_INIT_QOM);
+    qemu_init_main_loop(&error_abort);
     socket_init();
 
     g_test_init(&argc, &argv, NULL);