diff --git a/console.c b/console.c
index 242086c..489c74c 100644
--- a/console.c
+++ b/console.c
@@ -1123,14 +1123,14 @@ static void kbd_send_chars(void *opaque)
     int len;
     uint8_t buf[16];
 
-    len = qemu_chr_can_read(s->chr);
+    len = qemu_chr_be_can_write(s->chr);
     if (len > s->out_fifo.count)
         len = s->out_fifo.count;
     if (len > 0) {
         if (len > sizeof(buf))
             len = sizeof(buf);
         qemu_fifo_read(&s->out_fifo, buf, len);
-        qemu_chr_read(s->chr, buf, len);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(s->chr, buf, len);
     }
     /* characters are pending: we send them a bit later (XXX:
        horrible, should change char device API) */
diff --git a/gdbstub.c b/gdbstub.c
index d6c362e..058c626 100644
--- a/gdbstub.c
+++ b/gdbstub.c
@@ -2194,7 +2194,7 @@ static int gdb_handle_packet(GDBState *s, const char *line_buf)
             hextomem(mem_buf, p + 5, len);
             len = len / 2;
             mem_buf[len++] = 0;
-            qemu_chr_read(s->mon_chr, mem_buf, len);
+            qemu_chr_be_write(s->mon_chr, mem_buf, len);
             put_packet(s, "OK");
             break;
         }
diff --git a/hw/baum.c b/hw/baum.c
index 33a22a7..244eee5 100644
--- a/hw/baum.c
+++ b/hw/baum.c
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ static void baum_accept_input(struct CharDriverState *chr)
 
     if (!baum->out_buf_used)
         return;
-    room = qemu_chr_can_read(chr);
+    room = qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr);
     if (!room)
         return;
     if (room > baum->out_buf_used)
@@ -231,12 +231,12 @@ static void baum_accept_input(struct CharDriverState *chr)
 
     first = BUF_SIZE - baum->out_buf_ptr;
     if (room > first) {
-        qemu_chr_read(chr, baum->out_buf + baum->out_buf_ptr, first);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(chr, baum->out_buf + baum->out_buf_ptr, first);
         baum->out_buf_ptr = 0;
         baum->out_buf_used -= first;
         room -= first;
     }
-    qemu_chr_read(chr, baum->out_buf + baum->out_buf_ptr, room);
+    qemu_chr_be_write(chr, baum->out_buf + baum->out_buf_ptr, room);
     baum->out_buf_ptr += room;
     baum->out_buf_used -= room;
 }
@@ -250,16 +250,16 @@ static void baum_write_packet(BaumDriverState *baum, const uint8_t *buf, int len
     while (len--)
         if ((*cur++ = *buf++) == ESC)
             *cur++ = ESC;
-    room = qemu_chr_can_read(baum->chr);
+    room = qemu_chr_be_can_write(baum->chr);
     len = cur - io_buf;
     if (len <= room) {
         /* Fits */
-        qemu_chr_read(baum->chr, io_buf, len);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(baum->chr, io_buf, len);
     } else {
         int first;
         uint8_t out;
         /* Can't fit all, send what can be, and store the rest. */
-        qemu_chr_read(baum->chr, io_buf, room);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(baum->chr, io_buf, room);
         len -= room;
         cur = io_buf + room;
         if (len > BUF_SIZE - baum->out_buf_used) {
diff --git a/hw/msmouse.c b/hw/msmouse.c
index 67c6cd4..fbed80b 100644
--- a/hw/msmouse.c
+++ b/hw/msmouse.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static void msmouse_event(void *opaque,
     /* We always send the packet of, so that we do not have to keep track
        of previous state of the middle button. This can potentially confuse
        some very old drivers for two button mice though. */
-    qemu_chr_read(chr, bytes, 4);
+    qemu_chr_be_write(chr, bytes, 4);
 }
 
 static int msmouse_chr_write (struct CharDriverState *s, const uint8_t *buf, int len)
diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index fe5b28e..795a3cc 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -151,14 +151,14 @@ int qemu_chr_ioctl(CharDriverState *s, int cmd, void *arg)
     return s->chr_ioctl(s, cmd, arg);
 }
 
-int qemu_chr_can_read(CharDriverState *s)
+int qemu_chr_be_can_write(CharDriverState *s)
 {
     if (!s->chr_can_read)
         return 0;
     return s->chr_can_read(s->handler_opaque);
 }
 
-void qemu_chr_read(CharDriverState *s, uint8_t *buf, int len)
+void qemu_chr_be_write(CharDriverState *s, uint8_t *buf, int len)
 {
     s->chr_read(s->handler_opaque, buf, len);
 }
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ static int fd_chr_read_poll(void *opaque)
     CharDriverState *chr = opaque;
     FDCharDriver *s = chr->opaque;
 
-    s->max_size = qemu_chr_can_read(chr);
+    s->max_size = qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr);
     return s->max_size;
 }
 
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ static void fd_chr_read(void *opaque)
         return;
     }
     if (size > 0) {
-        qemu_chr_read(chr, buf, size);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(chr, buf, size);
     }
 }
 
@@ -699,8 +699,8 @@ static int stdio_read_poll(void *opaque)
     CharDriverState *chr = opaque;
 
     /* try to flush the queue if needed */
-    if (term_fifo_size != 0 && qemu_chr_can_read(chr) > 0) {
-        qemu_chr_read(chr, term_fifo, 1);
+    if (term_fifo_size != 0 && qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr) > 0) {
+        qemu_chr_be_write(chr, term_fifo, 1);
         term_fifo_size = 0;
     }
     /* see if we can absorb more chars */
@@ -724,8 +724,8 @@ static void stdio_read(void *opaque)
         return;
     }
     if (size > 0) {
-        if (qemu_chr_can_read(chr) > 0) {
-            qemu_chr_read(chr, buf, 1);
+        if (qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr) > 0) {
+            qemu_chr_be_write(chr, buf, 1);
         } else if (term_fifo_size == 0) {
             term_fifo[term_fifo_size++] = buf[0];
         }
@@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ static int pty_chr_read_poll(void *opaque)
     CharDriverState *chr = opaque;
     PtyCharDriver *s = chr->opaque;
 
-    s->read_bytes = qemu_chr_can_read(chr);
+    s->read_bytes = qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr);
     return s->read_bytes;
 }
 
@@ -914,7 +914,7 @@ static void pty_chr_read(void *opaque)
     }
     if (size > 0) {
         pty_chr_state(chr, 1);
-        qemu_chr_read(chr, buf, size);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(chr, buf, size);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1602,7 +1602,7 @@ static int win_chr_read_poll(CharDriverState *chr)
 {
     WinCharState *s = chr->opaque;
 
-    s->max_size = qemu_chr_can_read(chr);
+    s->max_size = qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr);
     return s->max_size;
 }
 
@@ -1624,7 +1624,7 @@ static void win_chr_readfile(CharDriverState *chr)
     }
 
     if (size > 0) {
-        qemu_chr_read(chr, buf, size);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(chr, buf, size);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1840,15 +1840,15 @@ static int udp_chr_read_poll(void *opaque)
     CharDriverState *chr = opaque;
     NetCharDriver *s = chr->opaque;
 
-    s->max_size = qemu_chr_can_read(chr);
+    s->max_size = qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr);
 
     /* If there were any stray characters in the queue process them
      * first
      */
     while (s->max_size > 0 && s->bufptr < s->bufcnt) {
-        qemu_chr_read(chr, &s->buf[s->bufptr], 1);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(chr, &s->buf[s->bufptr], 1);
         s->bufptr++;
-        s->max_size = qemu_chr_can_read(chr);
+        s->max_size = qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr);
     }
     return s->max_size;
 }
@@ -1867,9 +1867,9 @@ static void udp_chr_read(void *opaque)
 
     s->bufptr = 0;
     while (s->max_size > 0 && s->bufptr < s->bufcnt) {
-        qemu_chr_read(chr, &s->buf[s->bufptr], 1);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(chr, &s->buf[s->bufptr], 1);
         s->bufptr++;
-        s->max_size = qemu_chr_can_read(chr);
+        s->max_size = qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1963,7 +1963,7 @@ static int tcp_chr_read_poll(void *opaque)
     TCPCharDriver *s = chr->opaque;
     if (!s->connected)
         return 0;
-    s->max_size = qemu_chr_can_read(chr);
+    s->max_size = qemu_chr_be_can_write(chr);
     return s->max_size;
 }
 
@@ -2109,7 +2109,7 @@ static void tcp_chr_read(void *opaque)
         if (s->do_telnetopt)
             tcp_chr_process_IAC_bytes(chr, s, buf, &size);
         if (size > 0)
-            qemu_chr_read(chr, buf, size);
+            qemu_chr_be_write(chr, buf, size);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/qemu-char.h b/qemu-char.h
index 90f0c41..bcd413c 100644
--- a/qemu-char.h
+++ b/qemu-char.h
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ void qemu_chr_add_handlers(CharDriverState *s,
                            void *opaque);
 int qemu_chr_ioctl(CharDriverState *s, int cmd, void *arg);
 void qemu_chr_generic_open(CharDriverState *s);
-int qemu_chr_can_read(CharDriverState *s);
-void qemu_chr_read(CharDriverState *s, uint8_t *buf, int len);
+int qemu_chr_be_can_write(CharDriverState *s);
+void qemu_chr_be_write(CharDriverState *s, uint8_t *buf, int len);
 int qemu_chr_get_msgfd(CharDriverState *s);
 void qemu_chr_accept_input(CharDriverState *s);
 int qemu_chr_add_client(CharDriverState *s, int fd);
diff --git a/spice-qemu-char.c b/spice-qemu-char.c
index 95bf6b6..3d06ac4 100644
--- a/spice-qemu-char.c
+++ b/spice-qemu-char.c
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ static int vmc_write(SpiceCharDeviceInstance *sin, const uint8_t *buf, int len)
 
     while (len > 0) {
         last_out = MIN(len, VMC_MAX_HOST_WRITE);
-        if (qemu_chr_can_read(scd->chr) < last_out) {
+        if (qemu_chr_be_can_write(scd->chr) < last_out) {
             break;
         }
-        qemu_chr_read(scd->chr, p, last_out);
+        qemu_chr_be_write(scd->chr, p, last_out);
         out += last_out;
         len -= last_out;
         p += last_out;
