diff --git a/qga/commands-posix.c b/qga/commands-posix.c
index 954efed01..61427652c 100644
--- a/qga/commands-posix.c
+++ b/qga/commands-posix.c
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ static void ga_wait_child(pid_t pid, int *status, Error **errp)
 void qmp_guest_shutdown(bool has_mode, const char *mode, Error **errp)
 {
     const char *shutdown_flag;
+    const char *fallback_cmd = NULL;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     pid_t pid;
     int status;
@@ -101,10 +102,13 @@ void qmp_guest_shutdown(bool has_mode, const char *mode, Error **errp)
     slog("guest-shutdown called, mode: %s", mode);
     if (!has_mode || strcmp(mode, "powerdown") == 0) {
         shutdown_flag = powerdown_flag;
+        fallback_cmd = "/sbin/poweroff";
     } else if (strcmp(mode, "halt") == 0) {
         shutdown_flag = halt_flag;
+        fallback_cmd = "/sbin/halt";
     } else if (strcmp(mode, "reboot") == 0) {
         shutdown_flag = reboot_flag;
+        fallback_cmd = "/sbin/reboot";
     } else {
         error_setg(errp,
                    "mode is invalid (valid values are: halt|powerdown|reboot");
@@ -125,6 +129,7 @@ void qmp_guest_shutdown(bool has_mode, const char *mode, Error **errp)
 #else
         execl("/sbin/shutdown", "shutdown", "-h", shutdown_flag, "+0",
                "hypervisor initiated shutdown", (char *)NULL);
+        execle(fallback_cmd, fallback_cmd, (char*)NULL, environ);
 #endif
         _exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     } else if (pid < 0) {