diff --git a/client/tests/kvm/kvm_tests.cfg.sample b/client/tests/kvm/kvm_tests.cfg.sample
index 573206c..bcc31bb 100644
--- a/client/tests/kvm/kvm_tests.cfg.sample
+++ b/client/tests/kvm/kvm_tests.cfg.sample
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ variants:
     - migrate:      install setup
         type = migration
         migration_test_command = help
+        migration_bg_command = "cd /tmp; nohup tcpdump -q -t ip host localhost"
+        migration_bg_check_command = pgrep tcpdump
+        migration_bg_kill_command = pkill tcpdump
         kill_vm_on_error = yes
         iterations = 2
         used_mem = 1024
@@ -499,6 +502,9 @@ variants:
 
         migrate:
             migration_test_command = ver && vol
+            migration_bg_command = start ping -t localhost
+            migration_bg_check_command = tasklist | find /I "ping.exe"
+            migration_bg_kill_command = taskkill /IM ping.exe /F
         stress_boot:
             alive_test_cmd = systeminfo
         timedrift:
diff --git a/client/tests/kvm/tests/migration.py b/client/tests/kvm/tests/migration.py
index 4b13b5d..7b80e51 100644
--- a/client/tests/kvm/tests/migration.py
+++ b/client/tests/kvm/tests/migration.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import logging
+import logging, time
 from autotest_lib.client.common_lib import error
 import kvm_subprocess, kvm_test_utils, kvm_utils
 
@@ -20,33 +20,63 @@ def run_migration(test, params, env):
     @param env: Dictionary with the test environment.
     """
     vm = kvm_test_utils.get_living_vm(env, params.get("main_vm"))
-
-    # Log into guest and get the output of migration_test_command
     session = kvm_test_utils.wait_for_login(vm)
-    migration_test_command = params.get("migration_test_command")
-    reference_output = session.get_command_output(migration_test_command)
-    session.close()
 
-    # Migrate the VM
-    dest_vm = kvm_test_utils.migrate(vm, env)
+    # Get the output of migration_test_command
+    test_command = params.get("migration_test_command")
+    reference_output = session.get_command_output(test_command)
 
-    # Log into guest and get the output of migration_test_command
-    logging.info("Logging into guest after migration...")
-    session = dest_vm.remote_login()
-    if not session:
-        raise error.TestFail("Could not log into guest after migration")
-    logging.info("Logged in after migration")
-    output = session.get_command_output(migration_test_command)
-    session.close()
+    # Start some process in the background (and leave the session open)
+    background_command = params.get("migration_bg_command", "")
+    session.sendline(background_command)
+    time.sleep(5)
+
+    # Start another session with the guest and make sure the background
+    # process is running
+    session2 = kvm_test_utils.wait_for_login(vm)
+
+    try:
+        check_command = params.get("migration_bg_check_command", "")
+        if session2.get_command_status(check_command, timeout=30) != 0:
+            raise error.TestError("Could not start background process '%s'" %
+                                  background_command)
+        session2.close()
+
+        # Migrate the VM
+        dest_vm = kvm_test_utils.migrate(vm, env)
 
-    # Compare output to reference output
-    if output != reference_output:
-        logging.info("Command output before migration differs from command "
-                     "output after migration")
-        logging.info("Command: %s" % params.get("migration_test_command"))
-        logging.info("Output before:" +
-                     kvm_utils.format_str_for_message(reference_output))
-        logging.info("Output after:" +
-                     kvm_utils.format_str_for_message(output))
-        raise error.TestFail("Command produced different output before and "
-                             "after migration")
+        # Log into the guest again
+        logging.info("Logging into guest after migration...")
+        session2 = kvm_utils.wait_for(dest_vm.remote_login, 30, 0, 2)
+        if not session2:
+            raise error.TestFail("Could not log into guest after migration")
+        logging.info("Logged in after migration")
+
+        # Make sure the background process is still running
+        if session2.get_command_status(check_command, timeout=30) != 0:
+            raise error.TestFail("Could not find running background process "
+                                 "after migration: '%s'" % background_command)
+
+        # Get the output of migration_test_command
+        output = session2.get_command_output(test_command)
+
+        # Compare output to reference output
+        if output != reference_output:
+            logging.info("Command output before migration differs from "
+                         "command output after migration")
+            logging.info("Command: %s" % test_command)
+            logging.info("Output before:" +
+                         kvm_utils.format_str_for_message(reference_output))
+            logging.info("Output after:" +
+                         kvm_utils.format_str_for_message(output))
+            raise error.TestFail("Command '%s' produced different output "
+                                 "before and after migration" % test_command)
+
+    finally:
+        # Kill the background process
+        if session2.is_alive():
+            session2.get_command_output(params.get("migration_bg_kill_command",
+                                                   ""))
+
+    session2.close()
+    session.close()
diff --git a/client/tests/kvm/tests/timedrift_with_migration.py b/client/tests/kvm/tests/timedrift_with_migration.py
index af02f97..99d645a 100644
--- a/client/tests/kvm/tests/timedrift_with_migration.py
+++ b/client/tests/kvm/tests/timedrift_with_migration.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def run_timedrift_with_migration(test, params, env):
             vm = kvm_test_utils.migrate(vm, env)
             # Log in
             logging.info("Logging in after migration...")
-            session = vm.remote_login()
+            session = kvm_utils.wait_for(vm.remote_login, 30, 0, 2)
             if not session:
                 raise error.TestFail("Could not log in after migration")
             logging.info("Logged in after migration")
