diff --git a/include/qapi/forward-visitor.h b/include/qapi/forward-visitor.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..50fb3e9d50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/qapi/forward-visitor.h
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+ * Forwarding visitor
+ *
+ * Copyright Red Hat, Inc. 2021
+ *
+ * Author: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>
+ *
+ * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU LGPL, version 2.1 or later.
+ * See the COPYING.LIB file in the top-level directory.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef FORWARD_VISITOR_H
+#define FORWARD_VISITOR_H
+
+#include "qapi/visitor.h"
+
+typedef struct ForwardFieldVisitor ForwardFieldVisitor;
+
+/*
+ * The forwarding visitor only expects a single name, @from, to be passed for
+ * toplevel fields.  It is converted to @to and forwarded to the @target visitor.
+ * Calls within a struct are forwarded without changing the name.
+ */
+Visitor *visitor_forward_field(Visitor *target, const char *from, const char *to);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/qapi/meson.build b/qapi/meson.build
index 376f4ceafe..c356a385e3 100644
--- a/qapi/meson.build
+++ b/qapi/meson.build
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ util_ss.add(files(
   'opts-visitor.c',
   'qapi-clone-visitor.c',
   'qapi-dealloc-visitor.c',
+  'qapi-forward-visitor.c',
   'qapi-util.c',
   'qapi-visit-core.c',
   'qobject-input-visitor.c',
diff --git a/qapi/qapi-forward-visitor.c b/qapi/qapi-forward-visitor.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..115e9553b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qapi/qapi-forward-visitor.c
@@ -0,0 +1,331 @@
+/*
+ * Forward Visitor
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU LGPL, version 2.1 or later.
+ * See the COPYING.LIB file in the top-level directory.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "qemu/osdep.h"
+#include "qapi/compat-policy.h"
+#include "qapi/error.h"
+#include "qapi/forward-visitor.h"
+#include "qapi/visitor-impl.h"
+#include "qemu/queue.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qjson.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qbool.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qdict.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qerror.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qlist.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qnull.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qnum.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qstring.h"
+#include "qemu/cutils.h"
+#include "qemu/option.h"
+
+struct ForwardFieldVisitor {
+    Visitor visitor;
+
+    Visitor *target;
+    char *from;
+    char *to;
+
+    int depth;
+};
+
+static ForwardFieldVisitor *to_ffv(Visitor *v)
+{
+    return container_of(v, ForwardFieldVisitor, visitor);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_translate_name(ForwardFieldVisitor *v, const char **name,
+                                         Error **errp)
+{
+    if (v->depth) {
+        /*
+         * We have already entered the target, and are now forwarding its
+         * members.
+         */
+        return true;
+    }
+    if (g_str_equal(*name, v->from)) {
+        *name = v->to;
+        return true;
+    }
+    error_setg(errp, QERR_MISSING_PARAMETER, *name);
+    return false;
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_check_struct(Visitor *v, Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    return visit_check_struct(ffv->target, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_start_struct(Visitor *v, const char *name, void **obj,
+                                       size_t size, Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!visit_start_struct(ffv->target, name, obj, size, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    ffv->depth++;
+    return true;
+}
+
+static void forward_field_end_struct(Visitor *v, void **obj)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    assert(ffv->depth);
+    ffv->depth--;
+    visit_end_struct(ffv->target, obj);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_start_list(Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                     GenericList **list, size_t size,
+                                     Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    ffv->depth++;
+    return visit_start_list(ffv->target, name, list, size, errp);
+}
+
+static GenericList *forward_field_next_list(Visitor *v, GenericList *tail,
+                                            size_t size)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    assert(ffv->depth);
+    return visit_next_list(ffv->target, tail, size);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_check_list(Visitor *v, Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    assert(ffv->depth);
+    return visit_check_list(ffv->target, errp);
+}
+
+static void forward_field_end_list(Visitor *v, void **obj)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    assert(ffv->depth);
+    ffv->depth--;
+    visit_end_list(ffv->target, obj);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_start_alternate(Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                          GenericAlternate **obj, size_t size,
+                                          Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    /*
+     * The name passed to start_alternate is used also in the
+     * visit_type_* calls that retrieve the alternate's content;
+     * so, do not increase depth here.
+     */
+    return visit_start_alternate(ffv->target, name, obj, size, errp);
+}
+
+static void forward_field_end_alternate(Visitor *v, void **obj)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    visit_end_alternate(ffv->target, obj);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_type_int64(Visitor *v, const char *name, int64_t *obj,
+                                     Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_type_int64(ffv->target, name, obj, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_type_uint64(Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                      uint64_t *obj, Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_type_uint64(ffv->target, name, obj, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_type_bool(Visitor *v, const char *name, bool *obj,
+                                    Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_type_bool(ffv->target, name, obj, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_type_str(Visitor *v, const char *name, char **obj,
+                                   Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_type_str(ffv->target, name, obj, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_type_size(Visitor *v, const char *name, uint64_t *obj,
+                                    Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_type_size(ffv->target, name, obj, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_type_number(Visitor *v, const char *name, double *obj,
+                                      Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_type_number(ffv->target, name, obj, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_type_any(Visitor *v, const char *name, QObject **obj,
+                                   Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_type_any(ffv->target, name, obj, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_type_null(Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                    QNull **obj, Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_type_null(ffv->target, name, obj, errp);
+}
+
+static void forward_field_optional(Visitor *v, const char *name, bool *present)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, NULL)) {
+        *present = false;
+        return;
+    }
+    visit_optional(ffv->target, name, present);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_deprecated_accept(Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                            Error **errp)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, errp)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_deprecated_accept(ffv->target, name, errp);
+}
+
+static bool forward_field_deprecated(Visitor *v, const char *name)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    if (!forward_field_translate_name(ffv, &name, NULL)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return visit_deprecated(ffv->target, name);
+}
+
+static void forward_field_complete(Visitor *v, void *opaque)
+{
+    /*
+     * Do nothing, the complete method will be called in due time
+     * on the target visitor.
+     */
+}
+
+static void forward_field_free(Visitor *v)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *ffv = to_ffv(v);
+
+    g_free(ffv->from);
+    g_free(ffv->to);
+    g_free(ffv);
+}
+
+Visitor *visitor_forward_field(Visitor *target, const char *from, const char *to)
+{
+    ForwardFieldVisitor *v = g_new0(ForwardFieldVisitor, 1);
+
+    /*
+     * Clone and dealloc visitors don't use a name for the toplevel
+     * visit, so they make no sense here.
+     */
+    assert(target->type == VISITOR_OUTPUT || target->type == VISITOR_INPUT);
+
+    v->visitor.type = target->type;
+    v->visitor.start_struct = forward_field_start_struct;
+    v->visitor.check_struct = forward_field_check_struct;
+    v->visitor.end_struct = forward_field_end_struct;
+    v->visitor.start_list = forward_field_start_list;
+    v->visitor.next_list = forward_field_next_list;
+    v->visitor.check_list = forward_field_check_list;
+    v->visitor.end_list = forward_field_end_list;
+    v->visitor.start_alternate = forward_field_start_alternate;
+    v->visitor.end_alternate = forward_field_end_alternate;
+    v->visitor.type_int64 = forward_field_type_int64;
+    v->visitor.type_uint64 = forward_field_type_uint64;
+    v->visitor.type_size = forward_field_type_size;
+    v->visitor.type_bool = forward_field_type_bool;
+    v->visitor.type_str = forward_field_type_str;
+    v->visitor.type_number = forward_field_type_number;
+    v->visitor.type_any = forward_field_type_any;
+    v->visitor.type_null = forward_field_type_null;
+    v->visitor.optional = forward_field_optional;
+    v->visitor.deprecated_accept = forward_field_deprecated_accept;
+    v->visitor.deprecated = forward_field_deprecated;
+    v->visitor.complete = forward_field_complete;
+    v->visitor.free = forward_field_free;
+
+    v->target = target;
+    v->from = g_strdup(from);
+    v->to = g_strdup(to);
+
+    return &v->visitor;
+}
diff --git a/tests/unit/meson.build b/tests/unit/meson.build
index 3e0504dd21..5736d285b2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/meson.build
+++ b/tests/unit/meson.build
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ tests = {
   'test-qobject-output-visitor': [testqapi],
   'test-clone-visitor': [testqapi],
   'test-qobject-input-visitor': [testqapi],
+  'test-forward-visitor': [testqapi],
   'test-string-input-visitor': [testqapi],
   'test-string-output-visitor': [testqapi],
   'test-opts-visitor': [testqapi],
diff --git a/tests/unit/test-forward-visitor.c b/tests/unit/test-forward-visitor.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0de43964d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test-forward-visitor.c
@@ -0,0 +1,193 @@
+/*
+ * QAPI Forwarding Visitor unit-tests.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 Red Hat Inc.
+ *
+ * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU GPL, version 2 or later.
+ * See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
+ */
+
+#include "qemu/osdep.h"
+
+#include "qemu-common.h"
+#include "qapi/forward-visitor.h"
+#include "qapi/qobject-input-visitor.h"
+#include "qapi/error.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qobject.h"
+#include "qapi/qmp/qdict.h"
+#include "test-qapi-visit.h"
+#include "qemu/option.h"
+
+typedef bool GenericVisitor (Visitor *, const char *, void **, Error **);
+#define CAST_VISIT_TYPE(fn) ((GenericVisitor *)(fn))
+
+/*
+ * Parse @srcstr and wrap it with a ForwardFieldVisitor converting "src" to
+ * "dst". Check that visiting the result with "src" name fails, and return
+ * the result of visiting "dst".
+ */
+static void *visit_with_forward(const char *srcstr, GenericVisitor *fn)
+{
+    bool help = false;
+    QDict *src = keyval_parse(srcstr, NULL, &help, &error_abort);
+    Visitor *v, *alias_v;
+    Error *err = NULL;
+    void *result = NULL;
+
+    v = qobject_input_visitor_new_keyval(QOBJECT(src));
+    visit_start_struct(v, NULL, NULL, 0, &error_abort);
+
+    alias_v = visitor_forward_field(v, "dst", "src");
+    fn(alias_v, "src", &result, &err);
+    error_free_or_abort(&err);
+    assert(!result);
+    fn(alias_v, "dst", &result, &err);
+    assert(err == NULL);
+    visit_free(alias_v);
+
+    visit_end_struct(v, NULL);
+    visit_free(v);
+    return result;
+}
+
+static void test_forward_any(void)
+{
+    QObject *src = visit_with_forward("src.integer=42,src.string=Hello,src.enum1=value2",
+                                      CAST_VISIT_TYPE(visit_type_any));
+    Visitor *v = qobject_input_visitor_new_keyval(src);
+    Error *err = NULL;
+    UserDefOne *dst;
+
+    visit_type_UserDefOne(v, NULL, &dst, &err);
+    assert(err == NULL);
+    visit_free(v);
+
+    g_assert_cmpint(dst->integer, ==, 42);
+    g_assert_cmpstr(dst->string, ==, "Hello");
+    g_assert_cmpint(dst->has_enum1, ==, true);
+    g_assert_cmpint(dst->enum1, ==, ENUM_ONE_VALUE2);
+    qapi_free_UserDefOne(dst);
+}
+
+static void test_forward_size(void)
+{
+    /*
+     * visit_type_size does not return a pointer, so visit_with_forward
+     * cannot be used.
+     */
+    bool help = false;
+    QDict *src = keyval_parse("src=1.5M", NULL, &help, &error_abort);
+    Visitor *v, *alias_v;
+    Error *err = NULL;
+    uint64_t result = 0;
+
+    v = qobject_input_visitor_new_keyval(QOBJECT(src));
+    visit_start_struct(v, NULL, NULL, 0, &error_abort);
+
+    alias_v = visitor_forward_field(v, "dst", "src");
+    visit_type_size(alias_v, "src", &result, &err);
+    error_free_or_abort(&err);
+    visit_type_size(alias_v, "dst", &result, &err);
+    assert(result == 3 << 19);
+    assert(err == NULL);
+    visit_free(alias_v);
+
+    visit_end_struct(v, NULL);
+    visit_free(v);
+}
+
+static void test_forward_number(void)
+{
+    /*
+     * visit_type_number does not return a pointer, so visit_with_forward
+     * cannot be used.
+     */
+    bool help = false;
+    QDict *src = keyval_parse("src=1.5", NULL, &help, &error_abort);
+    Visitor *v, *alias_v;
+    Error *err = NULL;
+    double result = 0.0;
+
+    v = qobject_input_visitor_new_keyval(QOBJECT(src));
+    visit_start_struct(v, NULL, NULL, 0, &error_abort);
+
+    alias_v = visitor_forward_field(v, "dst", "src");
+    visit_type_number(alias_v, "src", &result, &err);
+    error_free_or_abort(&err);
+    visit_type_number(alias_v, "dst", &result, &err);
+    assert(result == 1.5);
+    assert(err == NULL);
+    visit_free(alias_v);
+
+    visit_end_struct(v, NULL);
+    visit_free(v);
+}
+
+static void test_forward_string(void)
+{
+    char *dst = visit_with_forward("src=Hello",
+                                   CAST_VISIT_TYPE(visit_type_str));
+
+    g_assert_cmpstr(dst, ==, "Hello");
+    g_free(dst);
+}
+
+static void test_forward_struct(void)
+{
+    UserDefOne *dst = visit_with_forward("src.integer=42,src.string=Hello",
+                                         CAST_VISIT_TYPE(visit_type_UserDefOne));
+
+    g_assert_cmpint(dst->integer, ==, 42);
+    g_assert_cmpstr(dst->string, ==, "Hello");
+    g_assert_cmpint(dst->has_enum1, ==, false);
+    qapi_free_UserDefOne(dst);
+}
+
+static void test_forward_alternate(void)
+{
+    AltStrObj *s_dst = visit_with_forward("src=hello",
+                                          CAST_VISIT_TYPE(visit_type_AltStrObj));
+    AltStrObj *o_dst = visit_with_forward("src.integer=42,src.boolean=true,src.string=world",
+                                          CAST_VISIT_TYPE(visit_type_AltStrObj));
+
+    g_assert_cmpint(s_dst->type, ==, QTYPE_QSTRING);
+    g_assert_cmpstr(s_dst->u.s, ==, "hello");
+    g_assert_cmpint(o_dst->type, ==, QTYPE_QDICT);
+    g_assert_cmpint(o_dst->u.o.integer, ==, 42);
+    g_assert_cmpint(o_dst->u.o.boolean, ==, true);
+    g_assert_cmpstr(o_dst->u.o.string, ==, "world");
+
+    qapi_free_AltStrObj(s_dst);
+    qapi_free_AltStrObj(o_dst);
+}
+
+static void test_forward_list(void)
+{
+    uint8List *dst = visit_with_forward("src.0=1,src.1=2,src.2=3,src.3=4",
+                                        CAST_VISIT_TYPE(visit_type_uint8List));
+    uint8List *tmp;
+    int i;
+
+    for (tmp = dst, i = 1; i <= 4; i++) {
+        g_assert(tmp);
+        g_assert_cmpint(tmp->value, ==, i);
+        tmp = tmp->next;
+    }
+    g_assert(!tmp);
+    qapi_free_uint8List(dst);
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    g_test_init(&argc, &argv, NULL);
+
+    g_test_add_func("/visitor/forward/struct", test_forward_struct);
+    g_test_add_func("/visitor/forward/alternate", test_forward_alternate);
+    g_test_add_func("/visitor/forward/string", test_forward_string);
+    g_test_add_func("/visitor/forward/size", test_forward_size);
+    g_test_add_func("/visitor/forward/number", test_forward_number);
+    g_test_add_func("/visitor/forward/any", test_forward_any);
+    g_test_add_func("/visitor/forward/list", test_forward_list);
+
+    return g_test_run();
+}
