diff --git a/test/json_config/json_config.sh b/test/json_config/json_config.sh
index 03d6bd5bd..a5a714ccc 100755
--- a/test/json_config/json_config.sh
+++ b/test/json_config/json_config.sh
@@ -326,7 +326,8 @@ function create_nvmf_subsystem_config() {
 function create_virtio_initiator_config() {
 	timing_enter "${FUNCNAME[0]}"
 	initiator_rpc bdev_virtio_attach_controller -t user -a /var/tmp/VhostScsiCtrlr0 -d scsi VirtioScsiCtrlr0
-	initiator_rpc bdev_virtio_attach_controller -t user -a /var/tmp/VhostBlkCtrlr0 -d blk VirtioBlk0
+	# FIXME: Specifying --vq-count is workaround issue #1583.
+	initiator_rpc bdev_virtio_attach_controller -t user -a /var/tmp/VhostBlkCtrlr0 -d blk --vq-count 2 VirtioBlk0
 	# TODO: initiator_rpc bdev_virtio_attach_controller -t user -a /var/tmp/VhostNvmeCtrlr0 -d nvme VirtioNvme0
 	timing_exit "${FUNCNAME[0]}"
 }