diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 743a357..117cb20 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1252,12 +1252,15 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([WITH_STORAGE_DIR], [test "$with_storage_dir" = "yes"])
 if test "$with_storage_fs" = "yes" -o "$with_storage_fs" = "check"; then
   AC_PATH_PROG([MOUNT], [mount], [], [$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin])
   AC_PATH_PROG([UMOUNT], [umount], [], [$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin])
+  AC_PATH_PROG([MKFS], [mkfs], [], [$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin])
   if test "$with_storage_fs" = "yes" ; then
     if test -z "$MOUNT" ; then AC_MSG_ERROR([We need mount for FS storage driver]) ; fi
     if test -z "$UMOUNT" ; then AC_MSG_ERROR([We need umount for FS storage driver]) ; fi
+    if test -z "$MKFS" ; then AC_MSG_ERROR([We need mkfs for FS storage driver]) ; fi
   else
     if test -z "$MOUNT" ; then with_storage_fs=no ; fi
     if test -z "$UMOUNT" ; then with_storage_fs=no ; fi
+    if test -z "$MKFS" ; then with_storage_fs=no ; fi
 
     if test "$with_storage_fs" = "check" ; then with_storage_fs=yes ; fi
   fi
@@ -1268,6 +1271,8 @@ if test "$with_storage_fs" = "yes" -o "$with_storage_fs" = "check"; then
         [Location or name of the mount program])
     AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([UMOUNT],["$UMOUNT"],
         [Location or name of the mount program])
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([MKFS],["$MKFS"],
+        [Location or name of the mkfs program])
   fi
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL([WITH_STORAGE_FS], [test "$with_storage_fs" = "yes"])
diff --git a/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c b/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
index 8279d78..0444fcf 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
+++ b/src/storage/storage_backend_fs.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include "util.h"
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "xml.h"
+#include "logging.h"
 
 #define VIR_FROM_THIS VIR_FROM_STORAGE
 
@@ -500,6 +501,7 @@ virStorageBackendFileSystemBuild(virConnectPtr conn ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
                                  virStoragePoolObjPtr pool,
                                  unsigned int flags ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
 {
+    const char *mke2fsargv[5], *device = NULL, *format = NULL;
     int err, ret = -1;
     char *parent;
     char *p;
@@ -540,6 +542,26 @@ virStorageBackendFileSystemBuild(virConnectPtr conn ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
                              pool->def->target.path);
         goto error;
     }
+
+    device = pool->def->source.devices[0].path;
+    format = virStoragePoolFormatFileSystemTypeToString(pool->def->source.format);
+
+    VIR_DEBUG("source device: '%s' format: '%s'", device, format);
+
+    mke2fsargv[0] = MKFS;
+    mke2fsargv[1] = "-t";
+    mke2fsargv[2] = format;
+    mke2fsargv[3] = device;
+    mke2fsargv[4] = NULL;
+
+    if (virRun(mke2fsargv, NULL) < 0) {
+        virReportSystemError(errno,
+                             _("Failed to make filesystem of "
+                               "type '%s' on device '%s'"),
+                               format, device);
+        goto error;
+    }
+
     ret = 0;
 error:
     VIR_FREE(parent);