diff --git a/tests/qtest/virtio-9p-test.c b/tests/qtest/virtio-9p-test.c
index 2e88429dfa..cfd3c02da4 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/virtio-9p-test.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/virtio-9p-test.c
@@ -395,6 +395,19 @@ static void do_xattr_limit(QVirtio9P *v9p, int max_xattr, bool check_counter)
     }
 }
 
+static void do_local_xattr_limit(QVirtio9P *v9p, int max_xattr)
+{
+    g_autofree char *test_file = virtio_9p_test_path("WRITE");
+
+    /*
+     * this file must be created for the test to work with the 'local' fs driver
+     */
+    g_file_set_contents(test_file, "", 0, NULL);
+
+    /* the actual test code shared with the 'synth' fs driver tests */
+    do_xattr_limit(v9p, max_xattr, false);
+}
+
 static void fs_walk_no_slash(void *obj, void *data, QGuestAllocator *t_alloc)
 {
     QVirtio9P *v9p = obj;
@@ -990,6 +1003,27 @@ static void fs_deep_absolute_path(void *obj, void *data,
     g_string_free(path, TRUE);
 }
 
+static void fs_local_xattr_limit_default(void *obj, void *data,
+                                         QGuestAllocator *t_alloc)
+{
+    v9fs_set_allocator(t_alloc);
+    do_local_xattr_limit(obj, V9FS_MAX_XATTR_DEFAULT);
+}
+
+static void fs_local_xattr_limit_custom(void *obj, void *data,
+                                        QGuestAllocator *t_alloc)
+{
+    v9fs_set_allocator(t_alloc);
+    do_local_xattr_limit(obj, 100);
+}
+
+static void fs_local_xattr_limit_unlimited(void *obj, void *data,
+                                           QGuestAllocator *t_alloc)
+{
+    v9fs_set_allocator(t_alloc);
+    do_local_xattr_limit(obj, -1);
+}
+
 static void *synth_max_xattr_custom_opt(GString *cmd_line, void *arg)
 {
     virtio_9p_add_synth_driver_args(cmd_line, "max_xattr=100");
@@ -1008,20 +1042,42 @@ static void cleanup_9p_local_driver(void *data)
     virtio_9p_remove_local_test_dir();
 }
 
-static void *assign_9p_local_driver(GString *cmd_line, void *arg)
+static void assign_9p_local_driver_with_args(GString *cmd_line,
+                                             const char *extra_opts)
 {
     /* make sure test dir for the 'local' tests exists */
     virtio_9p_create_local_test_dir();
 
-    virtio_9p_assign_local_driver(cmd_line, "security_model=mapped-xattr");
+    g_autofree char *opts =
+        (extra_opts) ?
+            g_strdup_printf("security_model=mapped-xattr,%s", extra_opts) :
+            g_strdup("security_model=mapped-xattr");
+
+    virtio_9p_assign_local_driver(cmd_line, opts);
 
     g_test_queue_destroy(cleanup_9p_local_driver, NULL);
+}
+
+static void *assign_9p_local_driver(GString *cmd_line, void *arg)
+{
+    assign_9p_local_driver_with_args(cmd_line, NULL);
+    return arg;
+}
+
+static void *local_max_xattr_custom_opt(GString *cmd_line, void *arg)
+{
+    assign_9p_local_driver_with_args(cmd_line, "max_xattr=100");
+    return arg;
+}
+
+static void *local_max_xattr_unlimited_opt(GString *cmd_line, void *arg)
+{
+    assign_9p_local_driver_with_args(cmd_line, "max_xattr=0");
     return arg;
 }
 
 static void register_virtio_9p_test(void)
 {
-
     QOSGraphTestOptions opts = {
     };
 
@@ -1078,6 +1134,14 @@ static void register_virtio_9p_test(void)
                  &opts);
     qos_add_test("local/deep_absolute_path", "virtio-9p",
                  fs_deep_absolute_path, &opts);
+    qos_add_test("local/xattr_limit/default", "virtio-9p",
+                 fs_local_xattr_limit_default, &opts);
+    opts.before = local_max_xattr_custom_opt;
+    qos_add_test("local/xattr_limit/custom", "virtio-9p",
+                 fs_local_xattr_limit_custom, &opts);
+    opts.before = local_max_xattr_unlimited_opt;
+    qos_add_test("local/xattr_limit/unlimited", "virtio-9p",
+                 fs_local_xattr_limit_unlimited, &opts);
 }
 
 libqos_init(register_virtio_9p_test);