diff --git a/test/TEST-24-UNIT-TESTS/test.sh b/test/TEST-24-UNIT-TESTS/test.sh
index 251ac9ef9be..a3a911c1b2e 100755
--- a/test/TEST-24-UNIT-TESTS/test.sh
+++ b/test/TEST-24-UNIT-TESTS/test.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@ set -e
 TEST_DESCRIPTION="Run unit tests under containers"
 RUN_IN_UNPRIVILEGED_CONTAINER=yes
 
+# embed some newlines in the kernel command line to stress our test suite
+KERNEL_APPEND="
+
+frobnicate!
+
+$KERNEL_APPEND
+"
+
 . $TEST_BASE_DIR/test-functions
 
 check_result_nspawn() {