diff --git a/chardev/char-socket.c b/chardev/char-socket.c
index 1ca9441b1b..c24331ac23 100644
--- a/chardev/char-socket.c
+++ b/chardev/char-socket.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static void qemu_chr_socket_restart_timer(Chardev *chr)
     assert(!s->reconnect_timer);
     name = g_strdup_printf("chardev-socket-reconnect-%s", chr->label);
     s->reconnect_timer = qemu_chr_timeout_add_ms(chr,
-                                                 s->reconnect_time * 1000,
+                                                 s->reconnect_time_ms,
                                                  socket_reconnect_timeout,
                                                  chr);
     g_source_set_name(s->reconnect_timer, name);
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ static void tcp_chr_disconnect_locked(Chardev *chr)
     if (emit_close) {
         qemu_chr_be_event(chr, CHR_EVENT_CLOSED);
     }
-    if (s->reconnect_time && !s->reconnect_timer) {
+    if (s->reconnect_time_ms && !s->reconnect_timer) {
         qemu_chr_socket_restart_timer(chr);
     }
 }
@@ -1080,9 +1080,9 @@ static int tcp_chr_wait_connected(Chardev *chr, Error **errp)
         } else {
             Error *err = NULL;
             if (tcp_chr_connect_client_sync(chr, &err) < 0) {
-                if (s->reconnect_time) {
+                if (s->reconnect_time_ms) {
                     error_free(err);
-                    g_usleep(s->reconnect_time * 1000ULL * 1000ULL);
+                    g_usleep(s->reconnect_time_ms * 1000ULL);
                 } else {
                     error_propagate(errp, err);
                     return -1;
@@ -1267,13 +1267,13 @@ skip_listen:
 
 
 static int qmp_chardev_open_socket_client(Chardev *chr,
-                                          int64_t reconnect,
+                                          int64_t reconnect_ms,
                                           Error **errp)
 {
     SocketChardev *s = SOCKET_CHARDEV(chr);
 
-    if (reconnect > 0) {
-        s->reconnect_time = reconnect;
+    if (reconnect_ms > 0) {
+        s->reconnect_time_ms = reconnect_ms;
         tcp_chr_connect_client_async(chr);
         return 0;
     } else {
@@ -1371,7 +1371,7 @@ static void qmp_chardev_open_socket(Chardev *chr,
     bool is_tn3270      = sock->has_tn3270  ? sock->tn3270  : false;
     bool is_waitconnect = sock->has_wait    ? sock->wait    : false;
     bool is_websock     = sock->has_websocket ? sock->websocket : false;
-    int64_t reconnect   = sock->has_reconnect ? sock->reconnect : 0;
+    int64_t reconnect_ms = 0;
     SocketAddress *addr;
 
     s->is_listen = is_listen;
@@ -1443,7 +1443,13 @@ static void qmp_chardev_open_socket(Chardev *chr,
             return;
         }
     } else {
-        if (qmp_chardev_open_socket_client(chr, reconnect, errp) < 0) {
+        if (sock->has_reconnect) {
+            reconnect_ms = sock->reconnect * 1000ULL;
+        } else if (sock->has_reconnect_ms) {
+            reconnect_ms = sock->reconnect_ms;
+        }
+
+        if (qmp_chardev_open_socket_client(chr, reconnect_ms, errp) < 0) {
             return;
         }
     }
@@ -1509,6 +1515,15 @@ static void qemu_chr_parse_socket(QemuOpts *opts, ChardevBackend *backend,
     sock->wait = qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "wait", true);
     sock->has_reconnect = qemu_opt_find(opts, "reconnect");
     sock->reconnect = qemu_opt_get_number(opts, "reconnect", 0);
+    sock->has_reconnect_ms = qemu_opt_find(opts, "reconnect-ms");
+    sock->reconnect_ms = qemu_opt_get_number(opts, "reconnect-ms", 0);
+
+    if (sock->has_reconnect_ms && sock->has_reconnect) {
+        error_setg(errp,
+            "'reconnect' and 'reconnect-ms' are mutually exclusive");
+        return;
+    }
+
     sock->tls_creds = g_strdup(qemu_opt_get(opts, "tls-creds"));
     sock->tls_authz = g_strdup(qemu_opt_get(opts, "tls-authz"));
 
diff --git a/chardev/char.c b/chardev/char.c
index ba847b6e9e..35623c78a3 100644
--- a/chardev/char.c
+++ b/chardev/char.c
@@ -888,6 +888,9 @@ QemuOptsList qemu_chardev_opts = {
         },{
             .name = "reconnect",
             .type = QEMU_OPT_NUMBER,
+        },{
+            .name = "reconnect-ms",
+            .type = QEMU_OPT_NUMBER,
         },{
             .name = "telnet",
             .type = QEMU_OPT_BOOL,
diff --git a/include/chardev/char-socket.h b/include/chardev/char-socket.h
index 0708ca6fa9..d6d13ad37f 100644
--- a/include/chardev/char-socket.h
+++ b/include/chardev/char-socket.h
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ struct SocketChardev {
     bool is_websock;
 
     GSource *reconnect_timer;
-    int64_t reconnect_time;
+    int64_t reconnect_time_ms;
     bool connect_err_reported;
 
     QIOTask *connect_task;
diff --git a/qapi/char.json b/qapi/char.json
index ef58445cee..7f117438c6 100644
--- a/qapi/char.json
+++ b/qapi/char.json
@@ -273,7 +273,19 @@
 #
 # @reconnect: For a client socket, if a socket is disconnected, then
 #     attempt a reconnect after the given number of seconds.  Setting
-#     this to zero disables this function.  (default: 0) (Since: 2.2)
+#     this to zero disables this function.  The use of this member is
+#     deprecated, use @reconnect-ms instead. (default: 0) (Since: 2.2)
+#
+# @reconnect-ms: For a client socket, if a socket is disconnected,
+#     then attempt a reconnect after the given number of milliseconds.
+#     Setting this to zero disables this function.  This member is
+#     mutually exclusive with @reconnect.
+#     (default: 0) (Since: 9.2)
+#
+# Features:
+#
+# @deprecated: Member @reconnect is deprecated.  Use @reconnect-ms
+#     instead.
 #
 # Since: 1.4
 ##
@@ -287,7 +299,8 @@
             '*telnet': 'bool',
             '*tn3270': 'bool',
             '*websocket': 'bool',
-            '*reconnect': 'int' },
+            '*reconnect': { 'type': 'int', 'features': [ 'deprecated' ] },
+            '*reconnect-ms': 'int' },
   'base': 'ChardevCommon' }
 
 ##
