diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index d272659..208bfc9 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -790,3 +790,21 @@ int do_block_resize(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data)
 
     return 0;
 }
+
+int do_block_stream(Monitor *mon, const QDict *params, QObject **ret_data)
+{
+    const char *device = qdict_get_str(params, "device");
+    BlockDriverState *bs;
+
+    bs = bdrv_find(device);
+    if (!bs) {
+        qerror_report(QERR_DEVICE_NOT_FOUND, device);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    /* This command is not yet implemented.  The device not found check above
+     * is done so that error ordering will not change when fully implemented.
+     */
+    qerror_report(QERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    return -1;
+}
diff --git a/blockdev.h b/blockdev.h
index 3587786..ad98d37 100644
--- a/blockdev.h
+++ b/blockdev.h
@@ -65,5 +65,6 @@ int do_change_block(Monitor *mon, const char *device,
 int do_drive_del(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data);
 int do_snapshot_blkdev(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data);
 int do_block_resize(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data);
+int do_block_stream(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/hmp-commands.hx b/hmp-commands.hx
index 0ccfb28..2a16fd9 100644
--- a/hmp-commands.hx
+++ b/hmp-commands.hx
@@ -70,6 +70,20 @@ but should be used with extreme caution.  Note that this command only
 resizes image files, it can not resize block devices like LVM volumes.
 ETEXI
 
+    {
+        .name       = "block_stream",
+        .args_type  = "device:B,base:s?",
+        .params     = "device [base]",
+        .help       = "copy data from a backing file into a block device",
+        .user_print = monitor_user_noop,
+        .mhandler.cmd_new = do_block_stream,
+    },
+
+STEXI
+@item block_stream
+@findex block_stream
+Copy data from a backing file into a block device.
+ETEXI
 
     {
         .name       = "eject",
diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index ada51d0..dc55fca 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -468,6 +468,9 @@ void monitor_protocol_event(MonitorEvent event, QObject *data)
         case QEVENT_SPICE_DISCONNECTED:
             event_name = "SPICE_DISCONNECTED";
             break;
+        case QEVENT_BLOCK_JOB_COMPLETED:
+            event_name = "BLOCK_JOB_COMPLETED";
+            break;
         default:
             abort();
             break;
diff --git a/monitor.h b/monitor.h
index 4f2d328..135c927 100644
--- a/monitor.h
+++ b/monitor.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ typedef enum MonitorEvent {
     QEVENT_SPICE_CONNECTED,
     QEVENT_SPICE_INITIALIZED,
     QEVENT_SPICE_DISCONNECTED,
+    QEVENT_BLOCK_JOB_COMPLETED,
     QEVENT_MAX,
 } MonitorEvent;
 
diff --git a/qerror.h b/qerror.h
index 8058456..eba9238 100644
--- a/qerror.h
+++ b/qerror.h
@@ -139,6 +139,9 @@ QError *qobject_to_qerror(const QObject *obj);
 #define QERR_NO_BUS_FOR_DEVICE \
     "{ 'class': 'NoBusForDevice', 'data': { 'device': %s, 'bus': %s } }"
 
+#define QERR_NOT_SUPPORTED \
+    "{ 'class': 'NotSupported', 'data': {} }"
+
 #define QERR_OPEN_FILE_FAILED \
     "{ 'class': 'OpenFileFailed', 'data': { 'filename': %s } }"
 
diff --git a/qmp-commands.hx b/qmp-commands.hx
index 03f67da..60c9bdf 100644
--- a/qmp-commands.hx
+++ b/qmp-commands.hx
@@ -694,6 +694,71 @@ Example:
 EQMP
 
     {
+        .name       = "block_stream",
+        .args_type  = "device:B,base:s?",
+        .params     = "device [base]",
+        .user_print = monitor_user_noop,
+        .mhandler.cmd_new = do_block_stream,
+    },
+
+SQMP
+block_stream
+------------
+
+Copy data from a backing file into a block device.
+
+The block streaming operation is performed in the background until the entire
+backing file has been copied.  This command returns immediately once streaming
+has started.  The status of ongoing block streaming operations can be checked
+with query-block-jobs.  The operation can be stopped before it has completed
+using the block_job_cancel command.
+
+If a base file is specified then sectors are not copied from that base file and
+its backing chain.  When streaming completes the image file will have the base
+file as its backing file.  This can be used to stream a subset of the backing
+file chain instead of flattening the entire image.
+
+On successful completion the image file is updated to drop the backing file.
+
+Arguments:
+
+- device: device name (json-string)
+- base:   common backing file (json-string, optional)
+
+Errors:
+
+DeviceInUse:    streaming is already active on this device
+DeviceNotFound: device name is invalid
+NotSupported:   image streaming is not supported by this device
+
+Events:
+
+On completion the BLOCK_JOB_COMPLETED event is raised with the following
+fields:
+
+- type:     job type ("stream" for image streaming, json-string)
+- device:   device name (json-string)
+- end:      maximum progress value (json-int)
+- position: current progress value (json-int)
+- speed:    rate limit, bytes per second (json-int)
+- error:    error message (json-string, only on error)
+
+The completion event is raised both on success and on failure.  On
+success position is equal to end.  On failure position and end can be
+used to indicate at which point the operation failed.
+
+On failure the error field contains a human-readable error message.  There are
+no semantics other than that streaming has failed and clients should not try
+to interpret the error string.
+
+Examples:
+
+-> { "execute": "block_stream", "arguments": { "device": "virtio0" } }
+<- { "return":  {} }
+
+EQMP
+
+    {
         .name       = "blockdev-snapshot-sync",
         .args_type  = "device:B,snapshot-file:s?,format:s?",
         .params     = "device [new-image-file] [format]",
