diff --git a/docker/services/nova-compute.yaml b/docker/services/nova-compute.yaml
index fb54ee77cc..28e5bb1bfb 100644
--- a/docker/services/nova-compute.yaml
+++ b/docker/services/nova-compute.yaml
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ outputs:
                     - {get_param: NovaComputeOptEnvVars}
                     -
                       - KOLLA_CONFIG_STRATEGY=COPY_ALWAYS
+                      - LIBGUESTFS_BACKEND=libvirt:qemu:///system
             - nova_wait_for_compute_service:
                 start_order: 4
                 image: *nova_compute_image