diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index fb8c5f8..4f43185 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -203,6 +203,42 @@
 QEMU_EXTRA_ARGS +=\
 	-netdev user,id=vmnic -device virtio-net-device,netdev=vmnic
 endif
+
+define run-help
+	@echo
+	@echo \* QEMU is now waiting to start the execution
+	@echo \* Start execution with either a \'c\' followed by \<enter\> in the QEMU console or
+	@echo \* attach a debugger and continue from there.
+	@echo \*
+	@echo \* To run OP-TEE tests, use the xtest command in the \'Normal World\' terminal
+	@echo \* Enter \'xtest -h\' for help.
+	@echo
+endef
+
+gnome-terminal := $(shell command -v gnome-terminal 2>/dev/null)
+xterm := $(shell command -v xterm 2>/dev/null)
+ifdef gnome-terminal
+# Note: the title option (-t) is ignored with gnome-terminal versions
+# >= 3.14 and < 3.20
+define launch-terminal
+	@nc -z  127.0.0.1 $(1) || \
+	$(gnome-terminal) -t "$(2)" -x $(SOC_TERM_PATH)/soc_term $(1) &
+endef
+else
+ifdef xterm
+define launch-terminal
+	@nc -z  127.0.0.1 $(1) || \
+	$(xterm) -title $(2) -e $(BASH) -c "$(SOC_TERM_PATH)/soc_term $(1)" &
+endef
+else
+check-terminal := @echo "Error: could not find gnome-terminal nor xterm" ; false
+endif
+endif
+
+define wait-for-ports
+	@while ! nc -z 127.0.0.1 $(1) || ! nc -z 127.0.0.1 $(2); do sleep 1; done
+endef
+
 ################################################################################
 # OP-TEE
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/qemu.mk b/qemu.mk
index f1019ab..b78a1ed 100644
--- a/qemu.mk
+++ b/qemu.mk
@@ -140,26 +140,6 @@
 ################################################################################
 # Run targets
 ################################################################################
-define run-help
-	@echo
-	@echo \* QEMU is now waiting to start the execution
-	@echo \* Start execution with either a \'c\' followed by \<enter\> in the QEMU console or
-	@echo \* attach a debugger and continue from there.
-	@echo \*
-	@echo \* To run OP-TEE tests, use the xtest command in the \'Normal World\' terminal
-	@echo \* Enter \'xtest -h\' for help.
-	@echo
-endef
-
-define launch-terminal
-	@nc -z  127.0.0.1 $(1) || \
-	xterm -title $(2) -e $(BASH) -c "$(SOC_TERM_PATH)/soc_term $(1)" &
-endef
-
-define wait-for-ports
-       @while ! nc -z 127.0.0.1 $(1) || ! nc -z 127.0.0.1 $(2); do sleep 1; done
-endef
-
 .PHONY: run
 # This target enforces updating root fs etc
 run: all
@@ -167,6 +147,7 @@
 
 .PHONY: run-only
 run-only:
+	$(call check-terminal)
 	$(call run-help)
 	$(call launch-terminal,54320,"Normal World")
 	$(call launch-terminal,54321,"Secure World")
diff --git a/qemu_v8.mk b/qemu_v8.mk
index 754e7b2..b4de04c 100644
--- a/qemu_v8.mk
+++ b/qemu_v8.mk
@@ -189,26 +189,6 @@
 ################################################################################
 # Run targets
 ################################################################################
-define run-help
-	@echo
-	@echo \* QEMU is now waiting to start the execution
-	@echo \* Start execution with either a \'c\' followed by \<enter\> in the QEMU console or
-	@echo \* attach a debugger and continue from there.
-	@echo \*
-	@echo \* To run OP-TEE tests, use the xtest command in the \'Normal World\' terminal
-	@echo \* Enter \'xtest -h\' for help.
-	@echo
-endef
-
-define launch-terminal
-	@nc -z  127.0.0.1 $(1) || \
-	xterm -title $(2) -e $(BASH) -c "$(SOC_TERM_PATH)/soc_term $(1)" &
-endef
-
-define wait-for-ports
-       @while ! nc -z 127.0.0.1 $(1) || ! nc -z 127.0.0.1 $(2); do sleep 1; done
-endef
-
 .PHONY: run
 # This target enforces updating root fs etc
 run: all
@@ -216,6 +196,7 @@
 
 .PHONY: run-only
 run-only:
+	$(call check-terminal)
 	$(call run-help)
 	$(call launch-terminal,54320,"Normal World")
 	$(call launch-terminal,54321,"Secure World")