diff --git a/include/chardev/char.h b/include/chardev/char.h
index 8a9ade4..22fd734 100644
--- a/include/chardev/char.h
+++ b/include/chardev/char.h
@@ -93,6 +93,15 @@ void qemu_chr_parse_common(QemuOpts *opts, ChardevCommon *backend);
 Chardev *qemu_chr_new(const char *label, const char *filename);
 
 /**
+ * @qemu_chr_change:
+ *
+ * Change an existing character backend
+ *
+ * @opts the new backend options
+ */
+void qemu_chr_change(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp);
+
+/**
  * @qemu_chr_cleanup:
  *
  * Delete all chardevs (when leaving qemu)
diff --git a/chardev/char.c b/chardev/char.c
index 839eff6..d6b9d89 100644
--- a/chardev/char.c
+++ b/chardev/char.c
@@ -951,6 +951,89 @@ ChardevReturn *qmp_chardev_add(const char *id, ChardevBackend *backend,
     return ret;
 }
 
+ChardevReturn *qmp_chardev_change(const char *id, ChardevBackend *backend,
+                                  Error **errp)
+{
+    CharBackend *be;
+    const ChardevClass *cc;
+    Chardev *chr, *chr_new;
+    bool closed_sent = false;
+    ChardevReturn *ret;
+
+    chr = qemu_chr_find(id);
+    if (!chr) {
+        error_setg(errp, "Chardev '%s' does not exist", id);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (CHARDEV_IS_MUX(chr)) {
+        error_setg(errp, "Mux device hotswap not supported yet");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (qemu_chr_replay(chr)) {
+        error_setg(errp,
+            "Chardev '%s' cannot be changed in record/replay mode", id);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    be = chr->be;
+    if (!be) {
+        /* easy case */
+        object_unparent(OBJECT(chr));
+        return qmp_chardev_add(id, backend, errp);
+    }
+
+    if (!be->chr_be_change) {
+        error_setg(errp, "Chardev user does not support chardev hotswap");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    cc = char_get_class(ChardevBackendKind_lookup[backend->type], errp);
+    if (!cc) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    chr_new = qemu_chardev_new(NULL, object_class_get_name(OBJECT_CLASS(cc)),
+                               backend, errp);
+    if (!chr_new) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    chr_new->label = g_strdup(id);
+
+    if (chr->be_open && !chr_new->be_open) {
+        qemu_chr_be_event(chr, CHR_EVENT_CLOSED);
+        closed_sent = true;
+    }
+
+    chr->be = NULL;
+    qemu_chr_fe_init(be, chr_new, &error_abort);
+
+    if (be->chr_be_change(be->opaque) < 0) {
+        error_setg(errp, "Chardev '%s' change failed", chr_new->label);
+        chr_new->be = NULL;
+        qemu_chr_fe_init(be, chr, &error_abort);
+        if (closed_sent) {
+            qemu_chr_be_event(chr, CHR_EVENT_OPENED);
+        }
+        object_unref(OBJECT(chr_new));
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    object_unparent(OBJECT(chr));
+    object_property_add_child(get_chardevs_root(), chr_new->label,
+                              OBJECT(chr_new), &error_abort);
+    object_unref(OBJECT(chr_new));
+
+    ret = g_new0(ChardevReturn, 1);
+    if (CHARDEV_IS_PTY(chr_new)) {
+        ret->pty = g_strdup(chr_new->filename + 4);
+        ret->has_pty = true;
+    }
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
 void qmp_chardev_remove(const char *id, Error **errp)
 {
     Chardev *chr;
diff --git a/qapi-schema.json b/qapi-schema.json
index 37c4b95..0090fbf 100644
--- a/qapi-schema.json
+++ b/qapi-schema.json
@@ -5098,6 +5098,46 @@
   'returns': 'ChardevReturn' }
 
 ##
+# @chardev-change:
+#
+# Change a character device backend
+#
+# @id: the chardev's ID, must exist
+# @backend: new backend type and parameters
+#
+# Returns: ChardevReturn.
+#
+# Since: 2.10
+#
+# Example:
+#
+# -> { "execute" : "chardev-change",
+#      "arguments" : { "id" : "baz",
+#                      "backend" : { "type" : "pty", "data" : {} } } }
+# <- { "return": { "pty" : "/dev/pty/42" } }
+#
+# -> {"execute" : "chardev-change",
+#     "arguments" : {
+#         "id" : "charchannel2",
+#         "backend" : {
+#             "type" : "socket",
+#             "data" : {
+#                 "addr" : {
+#                     "type" : "unix" ,
+#                     "data" : {
+#                         "path" : "/tmp/charchannel2.socket"
+#                     }
+#                  },
+#                  "server" : true,
+#                  "wait" : false }}}}
+# <- {"return": {}}
+#
+##
+{ 'command': 'chardev-change', 'data': {'id'      : 'str',
+                                        'backend' : 'ChardevBackend' },
+  'returns': 'ChardevReturn' }
+
+##
 # @chardev-remove:
 #
 # Remove a character device backend
