diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/dirty_log_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/dirty_log_test.c
index 8758c10ec850..a87e5f78ebf1 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/dirty_log_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/dirty_log_test.c
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 #include "guest_modes.h"
 #include "processor.h"
 
+#define DIRTY_MEM_BITS 30 /* 1G */
+#define PAGE_SHIFT_4K  12
+
 /* The memory slot index to track dirty pages */
 #define TEST_MEM_SLOT_INDEX		1
 
@@ -273,6 +276,24 @@ static bool dirty_ring_supported(void)
 
 static void dirty_ring_create_vm_done(struct kvm_vm *vm)
 {
+	uint64_t pages;
+	uint32_t limit;
+
+	/*
+	 * We rely on vcpu exit due to full dirty ring state. Adjust
+	 * the ring buffer size to ensure we're able to reach the
+	 * full dirty ring state.
+	 */
+	pages = (1ul << (DIRTY_MEM_BITS - vm->page_shift)) + 3;
+	pages = vm_adjust_num_guest_pages(vm->mode, pages);
+	if (vm->page_size < getpagesize())
+		pages = vm_num_host_pages(vm->mode, pages);
+
+	limit = 1 << (31 - __builtin_clz(pages));
+	test_dirty_ring_count = 1 << (31 - __builtin_clz(test_dirty_ring_count));
+	test_dirty_ring_count = min(limit, test_dirty_ring_count);
+	pr_info("dirty ring count: 0x%x\n", test_dirty_ring_count);
+
 	/*
 	 * Switch to dirty ring mode after VM creation but before any
 	 * of the vcpu creation.
@@ -685,9 +706,6 @@ static struct kvm_vm *create_vm(enum vm_guest_mode mode, struct kvm_vcpu **vcpu,
 	return vm;
 }
 
-#define DIRTY_MEM_BITS 30 /* 1G */
-#define PAGE_SHIFT_4K  12
-
 struct test_params {
 	unsigned long iterations;
 	unsigned long interval;
@@ -830,7 +848,7 @@ static void help(char *name)
 	printf("usage: %s [-h] [-i iterations] [-I interval] "
 	       "[-p offset] [-m mode]\n", name);
 	puts("");
-	printf(" -c: specify dirty ring size, in number of entries\n");
+	printf(" -c: hint to dirty ring size, in number of entries\n");
 	printf("     (only useful for dirty-ring test; default: %"PRIu32")\n",
 	       TEST_DIRTY_RING_COUNT);
 	printf(" -i: specify iteration counts (default: %"PRIu64")\n",