diff --git a/softmmu/vl.c b/softmmu/vl.c
index dc0cdc3417..0a61df55b8 100644
--- a/softmmu/vl.c
+++ b/softmmu/vl.c
@@ -117,6 +117,14 @@
 
 #define MAX_VIRTIO_CONSOLES 1
 
+typedef struct BlockdevOptionsQueueEntry {
+    BlockdevOptions *bdo;
+    Location loc;
+    QSIMPLEQ_ENTRY(BlockdevOptionsQueueEntry) entry;
+} BlockdevOptionsQueueEntry;
+
+typedef QSIMPLEQ_HEAD(, BlockdevOptionsQueueEntry) BlockdevOptionsQueue;
+
 static const char *cpu_option;
 static const char *data_dir[16];
 static int data_dir_idx;
@@ -126,7 +134,9 @@ static const char *boot_once;
 static const char *incoming;
 static const char *loadvm;
 static int display_remote;
+static int snapshot;
 static QemuPluginList plugin_list = QTAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(plugin_list);
+static BlockdevOptionsQueue bdo_queue = QSIMPLEQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(bdo_queue);
 static bool nographic = false;
 enum vga_retrace_method vga_retrace_method = VGA_RETRACE_DUMB;
 static int mem_prealloc; /* force preallocation of physical target memory */
@@ -1043,14 +1053,6 @@ static void default_drive(int enable, int snapshot, BlockInterfaceType type,
 
 }
 
-typedef struct BlockdevOptionsQueueEntry {
-    BlockdevOptions *bdo;
-    Location loc;
-    QSIMPLEQ_ENTRY(BlockdevOptionsQueueEntry) entry;
-} BlockdevOptionsQueueEntry;
-
-typedef QSIMPLEQ_HEAD(, BlockdevOptionsQueueEntry) BlockdevOptionsQueue;
-
 static void configure_blockdev(BlockdevOptionsQueue *bdo_queue,
                                MachineClass *machine_class, int snapshot)
 {
@@ -2640,7 +2642,7 @@ static int machine_set_property(void *opaque,
  * cannot be created here, as it depends on the chardev
  * already existing.
  */
-static bool object_create_initial(const char *type, QemuOpts *opts)
+static bool object_create_early(const char *type, QemuOpts *opts)
 {
     if (user_creatable_print_help(type, opts)) {
         exit(0);
@@ -2696,6 +2698,58 @@ static bool object_create_initial(const char *type, QemuOpts *opts)
     return true;
 }
 
+static void qemu_create_early_backends(void)
+{
+    MachineClass *machine_class = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(current_machine);
+
+    if ((alt_grab || ctrl_grab) && dpy.type != DISPLAY_TYPE_SDL) {
+        error_report("-alt-grab and -ctrl-grab are only valid "
+                     "for SDL, ignoring option");
+    }
+    if (dpy.has_window_close &&
+        (dpy.type != DISPLAY_TYPE_GTK && dpy.type != DISPLAY_TYPE_SDL)) {
+        error_report("-no-quit is only valid for GTK and SDL, "
+                     "ignoring option");
+    }
+
+    qemu_display_early_init(&dpy);
+    qemu_console_early_init();
+
+    if (dpy.has_gl && dpy.gl != DISPLAYGL_MODE_OFF && display_opengl == 0) {
+#if defined(CONFIG_OPENGL)
+        error_report("OpenGL is not supported by the display");
+#else
+        error_report("OpenGL support is disabled");
+#endif
+        exit(1);
+    }
+
+    qemu_opts_foreach(qemu_find_opts("object"),
+                      user_creatable_add_opts_foreach,
+                      object_create_early, &error_fatal);
+
+    /* spice needs the timers to be initialized by this point */
+    /* spice must initialize before audio as it changes the default auiodev */
+    /* spice must initialize before chardevs (for spicevmc and spiceport) */
+    qemu_spice.init();
+
+    qemu_opts_foreach(qemu_find_opts("chardev"),
+                      chardev_init_func, NULL, &error_fatal);
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_VIRTFS
+    qemu_opts_foreach(qemu_find_opts("fsdev"),
+                      fsdev_init_func, NULL, &error_fatal);
+#endif
+
+    /*
+     * Note: we need to create audio and block backends before
+     * machine_set_property(), so machine properties can refer to
+     * them.
+     */
+    configure_blockdev(&bdo_queue, machine_class, snapshot);
+    audio_init_audiodevs();
+}
+
 
 /*
  * The remainder of object creation happens after the
@@ -2703,7 +2757,7 @@ static bool object_create_initial(const char *type, QemuOpts *opts)
  */
 static bool object_create_delayed(const char *type, QemuOpts *opts)
 {
-    return !object_create_initial(type, opts);
+    return !object_create_early(type, opts);
 }
 
 
@@ -3314,7 +3368,6 @@ static void qemu_machine_creation_done(void)
 
 void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 {
-    int snapshot = 0;
     QemuOpts *opts, *machine_opts;
     QemuOpts *icount_opts = NULL, *accel_opts = NULL;
     QemuOptsList *olist;
@@ -3327,7 +3380,6 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     FILE *vmstate_dump_file = NULL;
     Error *err = NULL;
     bool have_custom_ram_size;
-    BlockdevOptionsQueue bdo_queue = QSIMPLEQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(bdo_queue);
 
     qemu_add_opts(&qemu_drive_opts);
     qemu_add_drive_opts(&qemu_legacy_drive_opts);
@@ -4299,52 +4351,7 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 
     qemu_disable_default_devices();
     qemu_create_default_devices();
-    if ((alt_grab || ctrl_grab) && dpy.type != DISPLAY_TYPE_SDL) {
-        error_report("-alt-grab and -ctrl-grab are only valid "
-                     "for SDL, ignoring option");
-    }
-    if (dpy.has_window_close &&
-        (dpy.type != DISPLAY_TYPE_GTK && dpy.type != DISPLAY_TYPE_SDL)) {
-        error_report("-no-quit is only valid for GTK and SDL, "
-                     "ignoring option");
-    }
-
-    qemu_display_early_init(&dpy);
-    qemu_console_early_init();
-
-    if (dpy.has_gl && dpy.gl != DISPLAYGL_MODE_OFF && display_opengl == 0) {
-#if defined(CONFIG_OPENGL)
-        error_report("OpenGL is not supported by the display");
-#else
-        error_report("OpenGL support is disabled");
-#endif
-        exit(1);
-    }
-
-    qemu_opts_foreach(qemu_find_opts("object"),
-                      user_creatable_add_opts_foreach,
-                      object_create_initial, &error_fatal);
-
-    /* spice needs the timers to be initialized by this point */
-    /* spice must initialize before audio as it changes the default auiodev */
-    /* spice must initialize before chardevs (for spicevmc and spiceport) */
-    qemu_spice.init();
-
-    qemu_opts_foreach(qemu_find_opts("chardev"),
-                      chardev_init_func, NULL, &error_fatal);
-
-#ifdef CONFIG_VIRTFS
-    qemu_opts_foreach(qemu_find_opts("fsdev"),
-                      fsdev_init_func, NULL, &error_fatal);
-#endif
-
-    /*
-     * Note: we need to create audio and block backends before
-     * machine_set_property(), so machine properties can refer to
-     * them.
-     */
-    configure_blockdev(&bdo_queue, machine_class, snapshot);
-    audio_init_audiodevs();
+    qemu_create_early_backends();
 
     machine_opts = qemu_get_machine_opts();
     qemu_opt_foreach(machine_opts, machine_set_property, current_machine,
