diff --git a/hw/qdev-properties.c b/hw/qdev-properties.c
index bda6699..8ce0de7 100644
--- a/hw/qdev-properties.c
+++ b/hw/qdev-properties.c
@@ -279,6 +279,26 @@ PropertyInfo qdev_prop_chr = {
     .print = print_chr,
 };
 
+/* --- network client object --- */
+
+static int print_net_client(DeviceState *dev, Property *prop, char *dest, size_t len)
+{
+    VLANClientState **ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
+
+    if (*ptr && (*ptr)->name) {
+        return snprintf(dest, len, "%s", (*ptr)->name);
+    } else {
+        return snprintf(dest, len, "<null>");
+    }
+}
+
+PropertyInfo qdev_prop_net_client = {
+    .name  = "net-client",
+    .type  = PROP_TYPE_NET_CLIENT,
+    .size  = sizeof(VLANClientState*),
+    .print = print_net_client,
+};
+
 /* --- netdev device --- */
 
 static int parse_netdev(DeviceState *dev, Property *prop, const char *str)
@@ -558,6 +578,11 @@ void qdev_prop_set_chr(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, CharDriverState *valu
     qdev_prop_set(dev, name, &value, PROP_TYPE_CHR);
 }
 
+void qdev_prop_set_net_client(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, VLANClientState *value)
+{
+    qdev_prop_set(dev, name, &value, PROP_TYPE_NET_CLIENT);
+}
+
 void qdev_prop_set_netdev(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, VLANClientState *value)
 {
     qdev_prop_set(dev, name, &value, PROP_TYPE_NETDEV);
diff --git a/hw/qdev.h b/hw/qdev.h
index 41642ee..3e1510f 100644
--- a/hw/qdev.h
+++ b/hw/qdev.h
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ enum PropertyType {
     PROP_TYPE_DRIVE,
     PROP_TYPE_CHR,
     PROP_TYPE_STRING,
+    PROP_TYPE_NET_CLIENT,
     PROP_TYPE_NETDEV,
     PROP_TYPE_VLAN,
     PROP_TYPE_PTR,
@@ -194,6 +195,7 @@ extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_chr;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_ptr;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_macaddr;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_drive;
+extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_net_client;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_netdev;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_vlan;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_pci_devfn;
@@ -235,6 +237,8 @@ extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_pci_devfn;
     DEFINE_PROP(_n, _s, _f, qdev_prop_chr, CharDriverState*)
 #define DEFINE_PROP_STRING(_n, _s, _f)             \
     DEFINE_PROP(_n, _s, _f, qdev_prop_string, char*)
+#define DEFINE_PROP_NET_CLIENT(_n, _s, _f)         \
+    DEFINE_PROP(_n, _s, _f, qdev_prop_net_client, VLANClientState *)
 #define DEFINE_PROP_NETDEV(_n, _s, _f)             \
     DEFINE_PROP(_n, _s, _f, qdev_prop_netdev, VLANClientState*)
 #define DEFINE_PROP_VLAN(_n, _s, _f)             \
@@ -258,6 +262,7 @@ void qdev_prop_set_uint32(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, uint32_t value);
 void qdev_prop_set_int32(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, int32_t value);
 void qdev_prop_set_uint64(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, uint64_t value);
 void qdev_prop_set_chr(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, CharDriverState *value);
+void qdev_prop_set_net_client(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, VLANClientState *value);
 void qdev_prop_set_netdev(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, VLANClientState *value);
 void qdev_prop_set_vlan(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, VLANState *value);
 void qdev_prop_set_drive(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, DriveInfo *value);
diff --git a/net.h b/net.h
index aa4b78a..d7235bb 100644
--- a/net.h
+++ b/net.h
@@ -14,15 +14,17 @@ struct MACAddr {
 /* qdev nic properties */
 
 typedef struct NICConf {
+    VLANClientState *client;
     MACAddr macaddr;
     VLANState *vlan;
     VLANClientState *peer;
 } NICConf;
 
 #define DEFINE_NIC_PROPERTIES(_state, _conf)                            \
-    DEFINE_PROP_MACADDR("mac",   _state, _conf.macaddr),                \
-    DEFINE_PROP_VLAN("vlan",     _state, _conf.vlan),                   \
-    DEFINE_PROP_NETDEV("netdev", _state, _conf.peer)
+    DEFINE_PROP_NET_CLIENT("net-client", _state, _conf.client),         \
+    DEFINE_PROP_MACADDR("mac",           _state, _conf.macaddr),        \
+    DEFINE_PROP_VLAN("vlan",             _state, _conf.vlan),           \
+    DEFINE_PROP_NETDEV("netdev",         _state, _conf.peer)
 
 /* VLANs support */