diff --git a/examples/blob/cli/blobcli.c b/examples/blob/cli/blobcli.c
index 2a4283760e..4c81cec4fc 100644
--- a/examples/blob/cli/blobcli.c
+++ b/examples/blob/cli/blobcli.c
@@ -1523,7 +1523,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (access(cli_context->config_file, F_OK) == -1) {
 		printf("Error: No config file found.\n");
 		printf("To create a config file named 'blobcli.json' for your NVMe device:\n");
-		printf("   <path to spdk>/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json > blobcli.json\n");
+		printf("   <path to spdk>/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json-with-subsystems > blobcli.json\n");
 		printf("and then re-run the cli tool.\n");
 		exit(-1);
 	}
diff --git a/scripts/gen_nvme.sh b/scripts/gen_nvme.sh
index 47b72c31d0..d3dddacc3a 100755
--- a/scripts/gen_nvme.sh
+++ b/scripts/gen_nvme.sh
@@ -5,13 +5,6 @@ set -e
 rootdir=$(readlink -f $(dirname $0))/..
 source "$rootdir/scripts/common.sh"
 
-function create_classic_config() {
-	echo "[Nvme]"
-	for ((i = 0; i < ${#bdfs[@]}; i++)); do
-		echo "  TransportID \"trtype:PCIe traddr:${bdfs[i]}\" Nvme$i"
-	done
-}
-
 function create_json_config() {
 	local bdev_json_cfg=()
 
@@ -53,10 +46,8 @@ function create_json_config_with_subsystems() {
 
 bdfs=($(nvme_in_userspace))
 
-if [ "$1" = "--json" ]; then
-	create_json_config
-elif [ "$1" = "--json-with-subsystems" ]; then
+if [[ "$1" = "--json-with-subsystems" ]]; then
 	create_json_config_with_subsystems
 else
-	create_classic_config
+	create_json_config
 fi
diff --git a/test/bdev/blockdev.sh b/test/bdev/blockdev.sh
index 26fbab8da8..755f4da464 100755
--- a/test/bdev/blockdev.sh
+++ b/test/bdev/blockdev.sh
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function setup_bdev_conf() {
 }
 
 function setup_nvme_conf() {
-	"$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh" --json | "$rpc_py" load_subsystem_config
+	"$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh" | "$rpc_py" load_subsystem_config
 }
 
 function setup_gpt_conf() {
diff --git a/test/blobfs/rocksdb/rocksdb.sh b/test/blobfs/rocksdb/rocksdb.sh
index 02300f0563..8ae3414752 100755
--- a/test/blobfs/rocksdb/rocksdb.sh
+++ b/test/blobfs/rocksdb/rocksdb.sh
@@ -75,9 +75,7 @@ popd
 
 timing_exit db_bench_build
 
-echo '{"subsystems": [' > $ROCKSDB_CONF
-$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json >> $ROCKSDB_CONF
-echo ']}' >> $ROCKSDB_CONF
+$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json-with-subsystems > $ROCKSDB_CONF
 
 trap 'dump_db_bench_on_err; run_bsdump || :; rm -f $ROCKSDB_CONF; sanitize_results; exit 1' SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
 
diff --git a/test/blobstore/blobstore.sh b/test/blobstore/blobstore.sh
index a50eb2ac6f..52799649a2 100755
--- a/test/blobstore/blobstore.sh
+++ b/test/blobstore/blobstore.sh
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@ rootdir=$(readlink -f $testdir/../..)
 source $rootdir/test/common/autotest_common.sh
 
 # Nvme0 target configuration
-echo '{"subsystems": [' > $testdir/blobcli.json
-$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | jq -r "del(.config[] | select(.params.name!=\"Nvme0\"))" >> $testdir/blobcli.json
-echo ']}' >> $testdir/blobcli.json
+$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json-with-subsystems > $testdir/blobcli.json
 
 # generate random data file for import/export diff
 dd if=/dev/urandom of=$testdir/test.pattern bs=1M count=1
diff --git a/test/common/autotest_common.sh b/test/common/autotest_common.sh
index 7bf1543386..195a7d80ed 100755
--- a/test/common/autotest_common.sh
+++ b/test/common/autotest_common.sh
@@ -1264,7 +1264,7 @@ function get_nvme_ctrlr_from_bdf() {
 # uio-pci-generic or vfio-pci
 function get_nvme_bdfs() {
 	xtrace_disable
-	bdfs=$(jq -r .config[].params.traddr <<< $($rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json))
+	bdfs=$(jq -r .config[].params.traddr <<< $($rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh))
 	if [[ -z $bdfs ]]; then
 		echo "No devices to test on!"
 		exit 1
diff --git a/test/compress/compress.sh b/test/compress/compress.sh
index 0c67f70212..ae18778d6b 100755
--- a/test/compress/compress.sh
+++ b/test/compress/compress.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ function destroy_vols() {
 }
 
 function create_vols() {
-	$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
+	$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
 	waitforbdev Nvme0n1
 
 	$rpc_py bdev_lvol_create_lvstore Nvme0n1 lvs0
diff --git a/test/ftl/ftl.sh b/test/ftl/ftl.sh
index b432bdfb0b..a474e56567 100755
--- a/test/ftl/ftl.sh
+++ b/test/ftl/ftl.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ trap 'at_ftl_exit' SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
 PCI_WHITELIST="$device" PCI_BLACKLIST="" DRIVER_OVERRIDE="" $rootdir/scripts/setup.sh
 
 # Use first regular NVMe disk (non-OC) as non-volatile cache
-nvme_disks=$($rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | jq -r \
+nvme_disks=$($rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | jq -r \
 	".config[] | select(.params.traddr != \"$device\").params.traddr")
 
 for disk in $nvme_disks; do
diff --git a/test/iscsi_tgt/ext4test/ext4test.sh b/test/iscsi_tgt/ext4test/ext4test.sh
index 600517a43c..7493a771f6 100755
--- a/test/iscsi_tgt/ext4test/ext4test.sh
+++ b/test/iscsi_tgt/ext4test/ext4test.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ trap '$rpc_py bdev_split_delete Name0n1 || true; killprocess $pid; iscsitestfini
 waitforlisten $pid
 $rpc_py iscsi_set_options -o 30 -a 4 -b $node_base
 $rpc_py framework_start_init
-$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
+$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
 $rpc_py bdev_malloc_create 512 4096 --name Malloc0
 echo "iscsi_tgt is listening. Running tests..."
 
diff --git a/test/iscsi_tgt/multiconnection/multiconnection.sh b/test/iscsi_tgt/multiconnection/multiconnection.sh
index 886ca74e8f..09cc9a2fb6 100755
--- a/test/iscsi_tgt/multiconnection/multiconnection.sh
+++ b/test/iscsi_tgt/multiconnection/multiconnection.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ trap 'remove_backends; iscsicleanup; killprocess $iscsipid; iscsitestfini; exit
 waitforlisten $iscsipid
 $rpc_py iscsi_set_options -o 30 -a 128
 $rpc_py framework_start_init
-$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
+$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
 timing_exit start_iscsi_tgt
 
 $rpc_py iscsi_create_portal_group $PORTAL_TAG $TARGET_IP:$ISCSI_PORT
diff --git a/test/iscsi_tgt/perf/iscsi_target.sh b/test/iscsi_tgt/perf/iscsi_target.sh
index ec02f9e0c1..91720fac11 100755
--- a/test/iscsi_tgt/perf/iscsi_target.sh
+++ b/test/iscsi_tgt/perf/iscsi_target.sh
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ trap 'rm -f $testdir/perf.job; killprocess $pid; print_backtrace; exit 1' ERR SI
 waitforlisten "$pid" "$testdir/rpc_iscsi.sock"
 $rpc_py iscsi_set_options -b "iqn.2016-06.io.spdk" -f "/usr/local/etc/spdk/auth.conf" -o 30 -i -l 0 -a 16
 $rpc_py framework_start_init
-$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
+$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
 sleep 1
 timing_exit run_iscsi_app
 
diff --git a/test/json_config/json_config.sh b/test/json_config/json_config.sh
index 131db7dc5f..81c7922810 100755
--- a/test/json_config/json_config.sh
+++ b/test/json_config/json_config.sh
@@ -336,9 +336,7 @@ function json_config_test_init() {
 
 	# Load nvme configuration. The load_config will issue framework_start_init automatically
 	(
-		echo '{"subsystems": ['
-		$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | jq -r "del(.config[] | select(.params.name!=\"Nvme0\"))"
-		echo ']}'
+		$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json-with-subsystems
 	) | tgt_rpc load_config
 
 	tgt_check_notification_types
diff --git a/test/nvmf/host/perf.sh b/test/nvmf/host/perf.sh
index 4d70bd83dc..2282aeb8d8 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/host/perf.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/host/perf.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ rpc_py="$rootdir/scripts/rpc.py"
 nvmftestinit
 nvmfappstart -m 0xF
 
-$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
+$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rpc_py load_subsystem_config
 
 local_nvme_trid="trtype:PCIe traddr:"$($rpc_py framework_get_config bdev | jq -r '.[].params | select(.name=="Nvme0").traddr')
 bdevs="$bdevs $($rpc_py bdev_malloc_create $MALLOC_BDEV_SIZE $MALLOC_BLOCK_SIZE)"
diff --git a/test/ocf/integrity/fio-modes.sh b/test/ocf/integrity/fio-modes.sh
index 0c90f999f3..b3801d33c5 100755
--- a/test/ocf/integrity/fio-modes.sh
+++ b/test/ocf/integrity/fio-modes.sh
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ ocf_names[2]=WT_Nvme ocf_modes[2]=wt
 ocf_names[3]=WB_Nvme0 ocf_modes[3]=wb
 ocf_names[4]=WB_Nvme1 ocf_modes[4]=wb
 
-mapfile -t config < <("$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh" --json)
+mapfile -t config < <("$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh")
 
 # Drop anything from last closing ] so we can inject our own config pieces ...
 config=("${config[@]::${#config[@]}-2}")
diff --git a/test/ocf/management/persistent-metadata.sh b/test/ocf/management/persistent-metadata.sh
index cbfcab3418..6cecc9739f 100755
--- a/test/ocf/management/persistent-metadata.sh
+++ b/test/ocf/management/persistent-metadata.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ rpc_py=$rootdir/scripts/rpc.py
 
 $rootdir/scripts/setup.sh
 
-mapfile -t config < <("$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh" --json)
+mapfile -t config < <("$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh")
 # Drop anything from last closing ] so we can inject our own config pieces ...
 config=("${config[@]::${#config[@]}-2}")
 # ... and now convert entire array to a single string item
diff --git a/test/openstack/run_openstack_tests.sh b/test/openstack/run_openstack_tests.sh
index 3bbd57d293..b96adafbc0 100755
--- a/test/openstack/run_openstack_tests.sh
+++ b/test/openstack/run_openstack_tests.sh
@@ -17,11 +17,7 @@ function finish_test() {
 	} || :
 }
 
-cat <<- JSON > "$testdir/conf.json"
-	{"subsystems":[
-	$("$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh" --json)
-	]}
-JSON
+$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json-with-subsystems > $testdir/conf.json
 
 nvmfappstart -m 0x3 -p 0 -s 1024 --json $testdir/conf.json
 
diff --git a/test/spdkcli/vhost.sh b/test/spdkcli/vhost.sh
index 809a322f82..cb95c27c9f 100755
--- a/test/spdkcli/vhost.sh
+++ b/test/spdkcli/vhost.sh
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ dd if=/dev/zero of="$sample_aio2" bs=2048 count=5000
 $spdkcli_job "'/bdevs/aio create sample0 $sample_aio 512' 'sample0' True
 '/bdevs/aio create sample1 $sample_aio2 512' 'sample1' True
 "
-trtype=$($rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | jq -r '.config[].params | select(.name=="Nvme0").trtype')
-traddr=$($rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | jq -r '.config[].params | select(.name=="Nvme0").traddr')
+trtype=$($rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | jq -r '.config[].params | select(.name=="Nvme0").trtype')
+traddr=$($rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | jq -r '.config[].params | select(.name=="Nvme0").traddr')
 $spdkcli_job "'/bdevs/nvme create Nvme0 $trtype $traddr' 'Nvme0' True
 '/bdevs/split_disk bdev_split_create Nvme0n1 4' 'Nvme0n1p0' True
 "
diff --git a/test/vhost/common.sh b/test/vhost/common.sh
index ecc1425786..7e724796b4 100644
--- a/test/vhost/common.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/common.sh
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ function vhost_run() {
 	waitforlisten "$vhost_pid" "$vhost_dir/rpc.sock"
 	#do not generate nvmes if pci access is disabled
 	if [[ "$cmd" != *"--no-pci"* ]] && [[ "$cmd" != *"-u"* ]] && $run_gen_nvme; then
-		$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh "--json" | $rootdir/scripts/rpc.py -s $vhost_dir/rpc.sock load_subsystem_config
+		$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rootdir/scripts/rpc.py -s $vhost_dir/rpc.sock load_subsystem_config
 	fi
 
 	notice "vhost started - pid=$vhost_pid"
diff --git a/test/vhost/initiator/blockdev.sh b/test/vhost/initiator/blockdev.sh
index 9667f1f3da..37f4c5ebf3 100755
--- a/test/vhost/initiator/blockdev.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/initiator/blockdev.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ $SPDK_BIN_DIR/vhost &
 vhost_pid=$!
 waitforlisten $vhost_pid
 
-$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | $rootdir/scripts/rpc.py load_subsystem_config
+$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rootdir/scripts/rpc.py load_subsystem_config
 if [ -z "$(rpc_cmd bdev_get_bdevs | jq '.[] | select(.name=="Nvme0n1")')" ]; then
 	echo "Nvme0n1 bdev not found!" && false
 fi
diff --git a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc2.sh b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc2.sh
index aa234d842c..b8e70b784f 100644
--- a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc2.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc2.sh
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ function migration_tc2_configure_vhost() {
 	waitforlisten "$nvmf_tgt_pid" "$nvmf_dir/rpc.sock"
 	$rpc_nvmf framework_start_init
 	$rpc_nvmf nvmf_create_transport -t RDMA -u 8192
-	$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | $rpc_nvmf load_subsystem_config
+	$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rpc_nvmf load_subsystem_config
 	timing_exit start_nvmf_tgt
 
 	vhost_run 0 "-m 0x1 -s 512 -u"
diff --git a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3a.sh b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3a.sh
index b8f06a8d04..b0542cc210 100644
--- a/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3a.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/migration/migration-tc3a.sh
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ function host1_start_nvmf() {
 	waitforlisten "$nvmf_tgt_pid" "$nvmf_dir/nvmf_rpc.sock"
 	$rpc_nvmf framework_start_init
 	$rpc_nvmf nvmf_create_transport -t RDMA -u 8192
-	$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json | $rpc_nvmf load_subsystem_config
+	$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh | $rpc_nvmf load_subsystem_config
 
 	$rpc_nvmf nvmf_create_subsystem nqn.2018-02.io.spdk:cnode1 -a -s SPDK01
 	$rpc_nvmf nvmf_subsystem_add_ns nqn.2018-02.io.spdk:cnode1 Nvme0n1
diff --git a/test/vhost/perf_bench/vhost_perf.sh b/test/vhost/perf_bench/vhost_perf.sh
index 98c6a8e3c7..abbbc28486 100755
--- a/test/vhost/perf_bench/vhost_perf.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/perf_bench/vhost_perf.sh
@@ -217,11 +217,7 @@ if [[ $run_precondition == true ]]; then
 	# Using the same precondition routine possible for lvols thanks
 	# to --clear-method option. Lvols should not UNMAP on creation.
 	json_cfg=$rootdir/nvme.json
-	cat <<- JSON > "$json_cfg"
-		{"subsystems":[
-		 $("$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh" --json)
-		]}
-	JSON
+	$rootdir/scripts/gen_nvme.sh --json-with-subsystems > "$json_cfg"
 	mapfile -t nvmes < <(grep -oP "Nvme\d+" "$json_cfg")
 	fio_filename=$(printf ":%sn1" "${nvmes[@]}")
 	fio_filename=${fio_filename:1}