diff --git a/include/sysemu/char.h b/include/sysemu/char.h
index f6844dd..1800c54 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/char.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/char.h
@@ -53,6 +53,17 @@ typedef struct {
 
 typedef void IOEventHandler(void *opaque, int event);
 
+struct ReconData {
+    void *opaque;
+    uint64_t recon_time;
+    struct ReconHandlers *handlers;
+    void (*state_change)(void *open_opaque, int is_open);
+    void *state_change_opaque;
+    void (*reconnected)(struct ReconData *r);
+    void (*connection_lost)(struct ReconData *r);
+    void (*shutdown)(struct ReconData *r);
+};
+
 struct CharDriverState {
     void (*init)(struct CharDriverState *s);
     int (*chr_write)(struct CharDriverState *s, const uint8_t *buf, int len);
@@ -82,6 +93,8 @@ struct CharDriverState {
     guint fd_in_tag;
     QemuOpts *opts;
     QTAILQ_ENTRY(CharDriverState) next;
+    GSList *backend;
+    struct ReconData *recon;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -293,7 +306,8 @@ CharDriverState *qemu_chr_find(const char *name);
 QemuOpts *qemu_chr_parse_compat(const char *label, const char *filename);
 
 void register_char_driver(const char *name,
-        CharDriverState *(*open)(CharDriverState *, QemuOpts *));
+        CharDriverState *(*open)(CharDriverState *, QemuOpts *),
+        int (*recon_setup)(CharDriverState *));
 void register_char_driver_qapi(const char *name, ChardevBackendKind kind,
         void (*parse)(QemuOpts *opts, ChardevBackend *backend, Error **errp));
 
diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index fc688cf..d9838aa 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -88,6 +88,44 @@
 /***********************************************************/
 /* character device */
 
+struct GenericReconData {
+    QEMUTimer *recon_timer;
+};
+
+static void generic_recon_timeout(void *opaque)
+{
+    struct ReconData *r = opaque;
+    struct GenericReconData *d = r->opaque;
+
+    timer_mod(d->recon_timer,
+              (get_clock() + (r->recon_time * get_ticks_per_sec())));
+    r->state_change(r->state_change_opaque, 0);
+}
+
+static void generic_reconnected(struct ReconData *r)
+{
+    struct GenericReconData *d = r->opaque;
+
+    timer_del(d->recon_timer);
+}
+
+static void generic_connection_lost(struct ReconData *r)
+{
+    struct GenericReconData *d = r->opaque;
+
+    r->state_change(r->state_change_opaque, 1);
+    timer_mod(d->recon_timer,
+              (get_clock() + (r->recon_time * get_ticks_per_sec())));
+}
+
+static void generic_recon_shutdown(struct ReconData *r)
+{
+    struct GenericReconData *d = r->opaque;
+    timer_free(d->recon_timer);
+    free(d);
+    r->opaque = NULL;
+}
+
 static QTAILQ_HEAD(CharDriverStateHead, CharDriverState) chardevs =
     QTAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(chardevs);
 
@@ -96,9 +134,15 @@ void qemu_chr_be_event(CharDriverState *s, int event)
     /* Keep track if the char device is open */
     switch (event) {
         case CHR_EVENT_OPENED:
+            if (s->recon) {
+                s->recon->reconnected(s->recon);
+            }
             s->be_open = 1;
             break;
         case CHR_EVENT_CLOSED:
+            if (s->recon) {
+                s->recon->connection_lost(s->recon);
+            }
             s->be_open = 0;
             break;
     }
@@ -2582,6 +2626,7 @@ static void tcp_chr_close(CharDriverState *chr)
         closesocket(s->listen_fd);
     }
     g_free(s);
+    chr->opaque = NULL;
     qemu_chr_be_event(chr, CHR_EVENT_CLOSED);
 }
 
@@ -2641,8 +2686,6 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_socket_fd(CharDriverState *chr,
     chr->get_msgfd = tcp_get_msgfd;
     chr->chr_add_client = tcp_chr_add_client;
     chr->chr_add_watch = tcp_chr_add_watch;
-    /* be isn't opened until we get a connection */
-    chr->explicit_be_open = true;
 
     if (is_listen) {
         s->listen_fd = fd;
@@ -2680,6 +2723,9 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_socket(CharDriverState *chr,
     bool do_nodelay     = !qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "delay", true);
     bool is_unix        = qemu_opt_get(opts, "path") != NULL;
 
+    /* be isn't opened until we get a connection */
+    chr->explicit_be_open = true;
+
     if (is_unix) {
         if (is_listen) {
             fd = unix_listen_opts(opts, &local_err);
@@ -2716,8 +2762,9 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_socket(CharDriverState *chr,
     if (fd >= 0) {
         closesocket(fd);
     }
-    if (chr) {
+    if (chr && chr->opaque) {
         g_free(chr->opaque);
+        chr->opaque = NULL;
     }
     return NULL;
 }
@@ -3128,6 +3175,7 @@ static void qemu_chr_parse_mux(QemuOpts *opts, ChardevBackend *backend,
 
 typedef struct CharDriver {
     const char *name;
+    int (*recon_setup)(CharDriverState *);
     /* old, pre qapi */
     CharDriverState *(*open)(CharDriverState *chr, QemuOpts *opts);
     /* new, qapi-based */
@@ -3138,13 +3186,15 @@ typedef struct CharDriver {
 static GSList *backends;
 
 void register_char_driver(const char *name,
-                          CharDriverState *(*open)(CharDriverState*,QemuOpts *))
+                          CharDriverState *(*open)(CharDriverState*,QemuOpts *),
+                          int (*recon_setup)(CharDriverState *))
 {
     CharDriver *s;
 
     s = g_malloc0(sizeof(*s));
     s->name = g_strdup(name);
     s->open = open;
+    s->recon_setup = recon_setup;
 
     backends = g_slist_append(backends, s);
 }
@@ -3162,6 +3212,50 @@ void register_char_driver_qapi(const char *name, ChardevBackendKind kind,
     backends = g_slist_append(backends, s);
 }
 
+static void generic_recon_state_change(void *opaque, int is_open)
+{
+    struct CharDriverState *chr = opaque;
+
+    if (!is_open) {
+        struct CharDriver *cd = chr->backend->data;
+
+        if (chr->be_open) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        cd->open(chr, chr->opts);
+    } else {
+        void (*chr_close)(struct CharDriverState *chr) = chr->chr_close;
+
+        if (chr_close) {
+            chr->chr_close = NULL;
+            chr_close(chr);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+static int generic_recon_setup(struct CharDriverState *chr)
+{
+    struct GenericReconData *d;
+
+    d = g_malloc(sizeof(*d));
+    chr->recon->opaque = d;
+
+    chr->recon->reconnected = generic_reconnected;
+    chr->recon->connection_lost = generic_connection_lost;
+    chr->recon->shutdown = generic_recon_shutdown;
+    chr->recon->state_change = generic_recon_state_change;
+    chr->recon->state_change_opaque = chr;
+
+    d->recon_timer = timer_new(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME, SCALE_NS,
+                               generic_recon_timeout, chr->recon);
+
+    /* Make sure it connects in time. */
+    timer_mod(d->recon_timer,
+              (get_clock() + (chr->recon->recon_time * get_ticks_per_sec())));
+    return 1;
+}
+
 CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
                                     void (*init)(struct CharDriverState *s),
                                     Error **errp)
@@ -3169,6 +3263,7 @@ CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
     CharDriver *cd;
     CharDriverState *chr;
     GSList *i;
+    uint64_t recon_time;
 
     if (qemu_opts_id(opts) == NULL) {
         error_setg(errp, "chardev: no id specified");
@@ -3244,11 +3339,41 @@ CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
     }
 
     chr = g_malloc0(sizeof(CharDriverState));
-    chr = cd->open(chr, opts);
-    if (!chr) {
-        error_setg(errp, "chardev: opening backend \"%s\" failed",
-                   qemu_opt_get(opts, "backend"));
-        goto err;
+
+    chr->backend = i;
+    recon_time = qemu_opt_get_number(opts, "reconnect", 0);
+    if (recon_time) {
+        CharDriver *d = chr->backend->data;
+        if (!d->recon_setup) {
+            g_free(chr);
+            fprintf(stderr, "chardev: reconnect not supported on %s\n",
+                    qemu_opt_get(opts, "backend"));
+            return NULL;
+        }
+        if (qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "server", 0)) {
+            g_free(chr);
+            fprintf(stderr, "chardev: server device cannot reconnect\n");
+            return NULL;
+        }
+        chr->opts = opts;
+        chr->recon = g_malloc(sizeof(*chr->recon));
+        chr->recon->recon_time = recon_time;
+        if (!d->recon_setup(chr)) {
+            g_free(chr->recon);
+            g_free(chr);
+            fprintf(stderr, "chardev: Unable to set up reconnect\n");
+            return NULL;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!cd->open(chr, opts)) {
+        if (!chr->recon) {
+            /* Reconnect is not enabled, give up */
+            fprintf(stderr, "chardev: opening backend \"%s\" failed\n",
+                    qemu_opt_get(opts, "backend"));
+            g_free(chr);
+            return NULL;
+        }
     }
 
     if (!chr->filename)
@@ -3267,7 +3392,8 @@ CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
         int len = strlen(qemu_opts_id(opts)) + 6;
         base->label = g_malloc(len);
         snprintf(base->label, len, "%s-base", qemu_opts_id(opts));
-        chr = qemu_chr_open_mux(chr, base);
+        chr = g_malloc0(sizeof(CharDriverState));
+        qemu_chr_open_mux(chr, base);
         chr->filename = base->filename;
         chr->avail_connections = MAX_MUX;
         QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&chardevs, chr, next);
@@ -3275,7 +3401,6 @@ CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
         chr->avail_connections = 1;
     }
     chr->label = g_strdup(qemu_opts_id(opts));
-    chr->opts = opts;
     return chr;
 
 err:
@@ -3378,9 +3503,16 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_release(CharDriverState *s)
 
 void qemu_chr_delete(CharDriverState *chr)
 {
+    void (*chr_close)(struct CharDriverState *chr) = chr->chr_close;
+
     QTAILQ_REMOVE(&chardevs, chr, next);
-    if (chr->chr_close) {
-        chr->chr_close(chr);
+    if (chr_close) {
+        chr->chr_close = NULL;
+        chr_close(chr);
+    }
+    if (chr->recon) {
+        chr->recon->shutdown(chr->recon);
+        g_free(chr->recon);
     }
     g_free(chr->filename);
     g_free(chr->label);
@@ -3515,6 +3647,9 @@ QemuOptsList qemu_chardev_opts = {
             .name = "mux",
             .type = QEMU_OPT_BOOL,
         },{
+            .name = "reconnect",
+            .type = QEMU_OPT_NUMBER,
+        },{
             .name = "signal",
             .type = QEMU_OPT_BOOL,
         },{
@@ -3811,8 +3946,8 @@ void qmp_chardev_remove(const char *id, Error **errp)
 static void register_types(void)
 {
     register_char_driver_qapi("null", CHARDEV_BACKEND_KIND_NULL, NULL);
-    register_char_driver("socket", qemu_chr_open_socket);
-    register_char_driver("udp", qemu_chr_open_udp);
+    register_char_driver("socket", qemu_chr_open_socket, generic_recon_setup);
+    register_char_driver("udp", qemu_chr_open_udp, NULL);
     register_char_driver_qapi("ringbuf", CHARDEV_BACKEND_KIND_RINGBUF,
                               qemu_chr_parse_ringbuf);
     register_char_driver_qapi("file", CHARDEV_BACKEND_KIND_FILE,
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index 56e5fdf..1002a3d 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -1787,8 +1787,9 @@ ETEXI
 DEF("chardev", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_chardev,
     "-chardev null,id=id[,mux=on|off]\n"
     "-chardev socket,id=id[,host=host],port=host[,to=to][,ipv4][,ipv6][,nodelay]\n"
-    "         [,server][,nowait][,telnet][,mux=on|off] (tcp)\n"
-    "-chardev socket,id=id,path=path[,server][,nowait][,telnet],[mux=on|off] (unix)\n"
+    "         [,server][,nowait][,telnet][,mux=on|off][,reconnect=seconds] (tcp)\n"
+    "-chardev socket,id=id,path=path[,server][,nowait][,telnet][,mux=on|off]\n"
+    "         [,reconnect=seconds] (unix)\n"
     "-chardev udp,id=id[,host=host],port=port[,localaddr=localaddr]\n"
     "         [,localport=localport][,ipv4][,ipv6][,mux=on|off]\n"
     "-chardev msmouse,id=id[,mux=on|off]\n"
@@ -1860,7 +1861,7 @@ Options to each backend are described below.
 A void device. This device will not emit any data, and will drop any data it
 receives. The null backend does not take any options.
 
-@item -chardev socket ,id=@var{id} [@var{TCP options} or @var{unix options}] [,server] [,nowait] [,telnet]
+@item -chardev socket ,id=@var{id} [@var{TCP options} or @var{unix options}] [,server] [,nowait] [,telnet] [,reconnect=@var{seconds}]
 
 Create a two-way stream socket, which can be either a TCP or a unix socket. A
 unix socket will be created if @option{path} is specified. Behaviour is
@@ -1874,6 +1875,10 @@ connect to a listening socket.
 @option{telnet} specifies that traffic on the socket should interpret telnet
 escape sequences.
 
+@option{reconnect} specifies that if the client socket does not connect at
+startup, or if the client socket is closed for some reason (like the other
+end exited), wait the given number of seconds and attempt to reconnect.
+
 TCP and unix socket options are given below:
 
 @table @option
