diff --git a/pkg/machine/qemu/stubber.go b/pkg/machine/qemu/stubber.go
index 903d56c285..999ef2f081 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/qemu/stubber.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/qemu/stubber.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -319,11 +318,15 @@ func (q *QEMUStubber) StartNetworking(mc *vmconfigs.MachineConfig, cmd *gvproxy.
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	socketURL, err := sockets.ToUnixURL(gvProxySock)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// make sure it does not exist before gvproxy is called
 	if err := gvProxySock.Delete(); err != nil {
 		logrus.Error(err)
 	}
-	cmd.AddQemuSocket(fmt.Sprintf("unix://%s", filepath.ToSlash(gvProxySock.GetPath())))
+	cmd.AddQemuSocket(socketURL.String())
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/machine/sockets/sockets.go b/pkg/machine/sockets/sockets.go
index 520dcf9099..62c15fc6a1 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/sockets/sockets.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/sockets/sockets.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
+	"net/url"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
@@ -110,3 +111,17 @@ func WaitForSocketWithBackoffs(maxBackoffs int, backoff time.Duration, socketPat
 	}
 	return fmt.Errorf("unable to connect to %q socket at %q", name, socketPath)
 }
+
+// ToUnixURL converts `socketLoc` into URL representation
+func ToUnixURL(socketLoc *define.VMFile) (*url.URL, error) {
+	p := socketLoc.GetPath()
+	if !filepath.IsAbs(p) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("socket path must be absolute %q", p)
+	}
+	s, err := url.Parse("unix:///")
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	s = s.JoinPath(filepath.ToSlash(p))
+	return s, nil
+}