diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 9df534f..a56a0e6 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2296,8 +2296,11 @@ static int parse_fw_cfg(void *opaque, QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
 {
     gchar *buf;
     size_t size;
-    const char *name, *file, *str;
+    const char *name, *file, *str, *slash, *dot;
     FWCfgState *fw_cfg = (FWCfgState *) opaque;
+    static const char qemu_prefix[] = "opt/org.qemu";
+    static const char ovmf_prefix[] = "opt/ovmf/";
+    static const char unsupported_root_prefix[] = "unsupported/root/";
 
     if (fw_cfg == NULL) {
         error_report("fw_cfg device not available");
@@ -2320,9 +2323,42 @@ static int parse_fw_cfg(void *opaque, QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
         error_report("name too long (max. %d char)", FW_CFG_MAX_FILE_PATH - 1);
         return -1;
     }
-    if (strncmp(name, "opt/", 4) != 0) {
-        error_report("warning: externally provided fw_cfg item names "
-                     "should be prefixed with \"opt/\"");
+    /*
+     * Look for and strip unsupported_root_prefix, which is useful for firmware
+     * development, but warn users.
+     */
+    if (!strncmp(name, unsupported_root_prefix,
+                 sizeof(unsupported_root_prefix) - 1)) {
+        error_report("warning: removing prefix \"%s\". "
+                     "Guest or QEMU may crash. "
+                     "Names must be prefixed with \"opt/RFQDN/\"",
+                     unsupported_root_prefix);
+        name += sizeof(unsupported_root_prefix) - 1;
+        if (!nonempty_str(name)) {
+            error_report("invalid argument(s)");
+            return -1;
+        }
+    } else if (!strncmp(name, ovmf_prefix, sizeof(ovmf_prefix) - 1)) {
+        /* Allow the prefix used historically with ovmf. */
+    } else {
+        /*
+         * Don't attempt to validate a valid RFQDN in name, as that's not easy:
+         * we do validate that it includes '.' .
+         */
+        if (strncmp(name, "opt/", 4) ||
+            !(dot = strchr(name + 4, '.')) ||
+            !(slash = strchr(name + 4, '/')) ||
+            dot > slash) {
+            error_report("error: externally provided fw_cfg item names "
+                         "must be prefixed with \"opt/RFQDN/\"");
+            return -1;
+        }
+        if (!strncmp(name, qemu_prefix, sizeof(qemu_prefix) - 1)) {
+            error_report("error: externally provided fw_cfg item names "
+                         "must not use the reserved prefix \"%s\"",
+                         qemu_prefix);
+            return -1;
+        }
     }
     if (nonempty_str(str)) {
         size = strlen(str); /* NUL terminator NOT included in fw_cfg blob */
diff --git a/docs/specs/fw_cfg.txt b/docs/specs/fw_cfg.txt
index 5414140..41ce9ca 100644
--- a/docs/specs/fw_cfg.txt
+++ b/docs/specs/fw_cfg.txt
@@ -210,29 +210,29 @@ the following syntax:
 
     -fw_cfg [name=]<item_name>,file=<path>
 
-where <item_name> is the fw_cfg item name, and <path> is the location
-on the host file system of a file containing the data to be inserted.
-
-Small enough items may be provided directly as strings on the command
-line, using the syntax:
+Or
 
     -fw_cfg [name=]<item_name>,string=<string>
 
-The terminating NUL character of the content <string> will NOT be
-included as part of the fw_cfg item data, which is consistent with
-the absence of a NUL terminator for items inserted via the file option.
+See QEMU man page for more documentation.
 
-Both <item_name> and, if applicable, the content <string> are passed
-through by QEMU without any interpretation, expansion, or further
-processing. Any such processing (potentially performed e.g., by the shell)
-is outside of QEMU's responsibility; as such, using plain ASCII characters
-is recommended.
+Using item_name with plain ASCII characters only is recommended.
 
-NOTE: Users *SHOULD* choose item names beginning with the prefix "opt/"
+Users MUST choose item names beginning with the prefix "opt/RFQDN/"
 when using the "-fw_cfg" command line option, to avoid conflicting with
-item names used internally by QEMU. For instance:
+item names used internally by QEMU, or by firmware. For instance:
 
-    -fw_cfg name=opt/my_item_name,file=./my_blob.bin
+    -fw_cfg name=opt/com.mycompany/guestagent/guestblob,file=./my_blob.bin
 
-Similarly, QEMU developers *SHOULD NOT* use item names prefixed with
+Similarly, QEMU developers MUST NOT use item names prefixed with
 "opt/" when inserting items programmatically, e.g. via fw_cfg_add_file().
+
+For historical reasons "opt/ovmf/" is reserved for use with the OVMF firmware.
+
+To simplify guest firmware development, the prefix
+unsupported/root/ is automatically stripped from paths, which
+allows creating fw_cfg files in the root QEMU directory.  This interface is
+strictly for use by developers, its use can cause guest or QEMU crashes, is
+unsupported and can be removed at any point.
+
+Any use of the prefix "opt/org.qemu" is reserved for future use.
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index 587de8f..2109a4f 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -2864,18 +2864,46 @@ ETEXI
 
 DEF("fw_cfg", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_fwcfg,
     "-fw_cfg [name=]<name>,file=<file>\n"
-    "                add named fw_cfg entry from file\n"
+    "                add named fw_cfg entry with content from file\n"
     "-fw_cfg [name=]<name>,string=<str>\n"
-    "                add named fw_cfg entry from string\n",
+    "                add named fw_cfg entry with content from string\n",
     QEMU_ARCH_ALL)
 STEXI
+
 @item -fw_cfg [name=]@var{name},file=@var{file}
 @findex -fw_cfg
-Add named fw_cfg entry from file. @var{name} determines the name of
-the entry in the fw_cfg file directory exposed to the guest.
+Add named fw_cfg entry with content from file @var{file}.
 
 @item -fw_cfg [name=]@var{name},string=@var{str}
-Add named fw_cfg entry from string.
+Add named fw_cfg entry with content from string @var{str}, up to the first NUL character.
+
+The terminating NUL character of the content @var{str} will NOT be
+included as part of the fw_cfg item data. To insert content including
+the NUL character, store it in file and insert the item via
+the @var{file} option.
+
+Both the name and the content are passed by QEMU through to the guest, where:
+@table @option
+@item @var{name} determines the name of the entry in the fw_cfg file directory exposed to the guest.
+
+@var{name} must be in the format opt/RFQDN/<item_name>.
+
+Any processing of @var{name} values (potentially performed e.g., by the shell)
+is outside of QEMU's responsibility; as such, using plain ASCII characters is
+recommended.
+@end table
+
+Example:
+@example
+    -fw_cfg name=opt/com.mycompany/guestagent/guestblob,file=./my_blob.bin
+@end example
+
+To simplify guest firmware development, the prefix
+unsupported/root/ is automatically stripped from paths, which
+allows creating fw_cfg files in the root QEMU directory.  This interface is
+strictly for use by developers, its use can cause guest or QEMU crashes, is
+unsupported and can be removed at any point.
+
 ETEXI
 
 DEF("serial", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_serial, \
