diff --git a/lib/backend.py b/lib/backend.py
index 68cfe52809fcde338de744203f729bbbf0617b51..b993f9d5c0c9df5d505060293b052a40c4d8de76 100644
--- a/lib/backend.py
+++ b/lib/backend.py
@@ -530,8 +530,9 @@ def AddOSToInstance(instance, os_disk, swap_disk):
                                 inst_os.path, create_script, instance.name,
                                 real_os_dev.dev_path, real_swap_dev.dev_path,
                                 logfile)
+  env = {'HYPERVISOR': ssconf.SimpleStore().GetHypervisorType()}
 
-  result = utils.RunCmd(command)
+  result = utils.RunCmd(command, env=env)
   if result.failed:
     logging.error("os create command '%s' returned error: %s, logfile: %s,"
                   " output: %s", command, result.fail_reason, logfile,
@@ -1486,8 +1487,9 @@ def ImportOSIntoInstance(instance, os_disk, swap_disk, src_node, src_image):
                                logfile)
 
   command = '|'.join([utils.ShellQuoteArgs(remotecmd), comprcmd, impcmd])
+  env = {'HYPERVISOR': ssconf.SimpleStore().GetHypervisorType()}
 
-  result = utils.RunCmd(command)
+  result = utils.RunCmd(command, env=env)
 
   if result.failed:
     logging.error("os import command '%s' returned error: %s"