diff --git a/docs/Home.md b/docs/Home.md
index f76dac4c..44e24017 100644
--- a/docs/Home.md
+++ b/docs/Home.md
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ Usage: auto_hck.rb test [test options]
         --fs-test-image-format <fs_test_image_format>
                                      Filesystem test image format (qcow2/raw). Default is qcow2.
                                      Has effect only when testing storage drivers.
+        --aio-native                  Use aio=native for virtual disks (forces cache=none, cannot combine with --aio-threads)
+        --aio-threads                 Use aio=threads for virtual disks (forces cache=none, cannot combine with --aio-native)
         --extensions <extensions_list>
                                      List of extensions for run test
         --net-test-speed <net_test_speed>
diff --git a/lib/cli.rb b/lib/cli.rb
index b78b0d1d..bbb60dab 100644
--- a/lib/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/cli.rb
@@ -111,6 +111,19 @@ class CliTestOptions < T::Struct
     prop :latest_session, T::Boolean, default: false
     prop :category, T.nilable(String)
     prop :testcase, T.nilable(String)
+    prop :drive_aio_state, T.nilable(String)
+
+    def aio_native=(value)
+      raise(AutoHCKError, '--aio-native cannot be combined with --aio-threads') if value && drive_aio_state == 'threads'
+
+      self.drive_aio_state = 'native' if value
+    end
+
+    def aio_threads=(value)
+      raise(AutoHCKError, '--aio-threads cannot be combined with --aio-native') if value && drive_aio_state == 'native'
+
+      self.drive_aio_state = 'threads' if value
+    end
 
     def create_parser
       OptionParser.new do |parser|
@@ -277,6 +290,14 @@ def define_options(parser)
       parser.on('--testcase <test_case_names>', String,
                 'Run specific functest test cases, comma-separated (used with functest engine)',
                 &method(:testcase=))
+
+      parser.on('--aio-native', TrueClass,
+                'Use aio=native for virtual disks (forces cache=none, cannot combine with --aio-threads)',
+                &method(:aio_native=))
+
+      parser.on('--aio-threads', TrueClass,
+                'Use aio=threads for virtual disks (forces cache=none, cannot combine with --aio-native)',
+                &method(:aio_threads=))
     end
     # rubocop:enable Metrics/AbcSize, Metrics/MethodLength
   end
diff --git a/lib/setupmanagers/qemuhck/qemu_machine.rb b/lib/setupmanagers/qemuhck/qemu_machine.rb
index 89baa210..aae0db9e 100644
--- a/lib/setupmanagers/qemuhck/qemu_machine.rb
+++ b/lib/setupmanagers/qemuhck/qemu_machine.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # AutoHCK module
 module AutoHCK
   # QemuMachine class
+  # rubocop:disable Metrics/ClassLength
   class QemuMachine
     extend T::Sig
     extend AutoHCK::AutoloadExtension
@@ -305,10 +306,29 @@ def init_config
 
       @states_config = Json.read_json(STATES_JSON, @logger)
       @states_config.each { |name, state| apply_state name, state }
+      apply_drive_aio_state
+      validate_drive_aio_state
 
       apply_cpu_options_config
     end
 
+    def apply_drive_aio_state
+      case option_config('drive_aio_state')
+      when 'native' then @drive_cache_options << ',cache=none,aio=native'
+      when 'threads' then @drive_cache_options << ',cache=none,aio=threads'
+      end
+    end
+
+    # cache=unsafe has cache.direct=off, which conflicts with the cache=none (cache.direct=on)
+    # forced by drive_aio_state above, so QEMU would fail to start with both applied at once.
+    def validate_drive_aio_state
+      return unless %w[native threads].include?(option_config('drive_aio_state'))
+      return unless option_config('drive_unsafe_cache_state')
+
+      raise QemuHCKError, "drive_aio_state=#{option_config('drive_aio_state')} is incompatible with " \
+                          'drive_unsafe_cache_state=true (both set a conflicting cache= mode)'
+    end
+
     def apply_cpu_options_config
       extra = option_config('cpu_options')
       return if extra.nil? || extra.empty?
@@ -794,4 +814,5 @@ def run(scope, run_opts = nil)
       end
     end
   end
+  # rubocop:enable Metrics/ClassLength
 end
diff --git a/lib/setupmanagers/qemuhck/qemuhck.rb b/lib/setupmanagers/qemuhck/qemuhck.rb
index b9f25c36..50482fb9 100644
--- a/lib/setupmanagers/qemuhck/qemuhck.rb
+++ b/lib/setupmanagers/qemuhck/qemuhck.rb
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ def client_vm_common_options
         'boot_device' => test_opt.boot_device,
         'fs_test_image_format' => test_opt.fs_test_image_format,
         'net_test_speed' => test_opt.net_test_speed,
+        'drive_aio_state' => test_opt.drive_aio_state,
         'ctrl_net_device' => common.client_ctrl_net_dev
       }.compact
     end