diff --git a/include/io/channel.h b/include/io/channel.h
index 78b15f7870..153fbd2904 100644
--- a/include/io/channel.h
+++ b/include/io/channel.h
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ OBJECT_DECLARE_TYPE(QIOChannel, QIOChannelClass,
 
 #define QIO_CHANNEL_WRITE_FLAG_ZERO_COPY 0x1
 
+#define QIO_CHANNEL_READ_FLAG_MSG_PEEK 0x1
+
 typedef enum QIOChannelFeature QIOChannelFeature;
 
 enum QIOChannelFeature {
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ enum QIOChannelFeature {
     QIO_CHANNEL_FEATURE_SHUTDOWN,
     QIO_CHANNEL_FEATURE_LISTEN,
     QIO_CHANNEL_FEATURE_WRITE_ZERO_COPY,
+    QIO_CHANNEL_FEATURE_READ_MSG_PEEK,
 };
 
 
@@ -114,6 +117,7 @@ struct QIOChannelClass {
                         size_t niov,
                         int **fds,
                         size_t *nfds,
+                        int flags,
                         Error **errp);
     int (*io_close)(QIOChannel *ioc,
                     Error **errp);
@@ -188,6 +192,7 @@ void qio_channel_set_name(QIOChannel *ioc,
  * @niov: the length of the @iov array
  * @fds: pointer to an array that will received file handles
  * @nfds: pointer filled with number of elements in @fds on return
+ * @flags: read flags (QIO_CHANNEL_READ_FLAG_*)
  * @errp: pointer to a NULL-initialized error object
  *
  * Read data from the IO channel, storing it in the
@@ -224,6 +229,7 @@ ssize_t qio_channel_readv_full(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                size_t niov,
                                int **fds,
                                size_t *nfds,
+                               int flags,
                                Error **errp);
 
 
diff --git a/chardev/char-socket.c b/chardev/char-socket.c
index 29ffe5075e..c2265436ac 100644
--- a/chardev/char-socket.c
+++ b/chardev/char-socket.c
@@ -283,11 +283,11 @@ static ssize_t tcp_chr_recv(Chardev *chr, char *buf, size_t len)
     if (qio_channel_has_feature(s->ioc, QIO_CHANNEL_FEATURE_FD_PASS)) {
         ret = qio_channel_readv_full(s->ioc, &iov, 1,
                                      &msgfds, &msgfds_num,
-                                     NULL);
+                                     0, NULL);
     } else {
         ret = qio_channel_readv_full(s->ioc, &iov, 1,
                                      NULL, NULL,
-                                     NULL);
+                                     0, NULL);
     }
 
     if (msgfds_num) {
diff --git a/io/channel-buffer.c b/io/channel-buffer.c
index bf52011be2..8096180f85 100644
--- a/io/channel-buffer.c
+++ b/io/channel-buffer.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_buffer_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                         size_t niov,
                                         int **fds,
                                         size_t *nfds,
+                                        int flags,
                                         Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelBuffer *bioc = QIO_CHANNEL_BUFFER(ioc);
diff --git a/io/channel-command.c b/io/channel-command.c
index 74516252ba..e7edd091af 100644
--- a/io/channel-command.c
+++ b/io/channel-command.c
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_command_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                          size_t niov,
                                          int **fds,
                                          size_t *nfds,
+                                         int flags,
                                          Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelCommand *cioc = QIO_CHANNEL_COMMAND(ioc);
diff --git a/io/channel-file.c b/io/channel-file.c
index b67687c2aa..d76663e6ae 100644
--- a/io/channel-file.c
+++ b/io/channel-file.c
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_file_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                       size_t niov,
                                       int **fds,
                                       size_t *nfds,
+                                      int flags,
                                       Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelFile *fioc = QIO_CHANNEL_FILE(ioc);
diff --git a/io/channel-null.c b/io/channel-null.c
index 75e3781507..4fafdb770d 100644
--- a/io/channel-null.c
+++ b/io/channel-null.c
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ qio_channel_null_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                        size_t niov,
                        int **fds G_GNUC_UNUSED,
                        size_t *nfds G_GNUC_UNUSED,
+                       int flags,
                        Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelNull *nioc = QIO_CHANNEL_NULL(ioc);
diff --git a/io/channel-socket.c b/io/channel-socket.c
index b76dca9cc1..7aca84f61a 100644
--- a/io/channel-socket.c
+++ b/io/channel-socket.c
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ int qio_channel_socket_connect_sync(QIOChannelSocket *ioc,
     }
 #endif
 
+    qio_channel_set_feature(QIO_CHANNEL(ioc),
+                            QIO_CHANNEL_FEATURE_READ_MSG_PEEK);
+
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -406,6 +409,9 @@ qio_channel_socket_accept(QIOChannelSocket *ioc,
     }
 #endif /* WIN32 */
 
+    qio_channel_set_feature(QIO_CHANNEL(cioc),
+                            QIO_CHANNEL_FEATURE_READ_MSG_PEEK);
+
     trace_qio_channel_socket_accept_complete(ioc, cioc, cioc->fd);
     return cioc;
 
@@ -496,6 +502,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_socket_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                         size_t niov,
                                         int **fds,
                                         size_t *nfds,
+                                        int flags,
                                         Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelSocket *sioc = QIO_CHANNEL_SOCKET(ioc);
@@ -517,6 +524,10 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_socket_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
 
     }
 
+    if (flags & QIO_CHANNEL_READ_FLAG_MSG_PEEK) {
+        sflags |= MSG_PEEK;
+    }
+
  retry:
     ret = recvmsg(sioc->fd, &msg, sflags);
     if (ret < 0) {
@@ -624,11 +635,17 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_socket_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                         size_t niov,
                                         int **fds,
                                         size_t *nfds,
+                                        int flags,
                                         Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelSocket *sioc = QIO_CHANNEL_SOCKET(ioc);
     ssize_t done = 0;
     ssize_t i;
+    int sflags = 0;
+
+    if (flags & QIO_CHANNEL_READ_FLAG_MSG_PEEK) {
+        sflags |= MSG_PEEK;
+    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < niov; i++) {
         ssize_t ret;
@@ -636,7 +653,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_socket_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
         ret = recv(sioc->fd,
                    iov[i].iov_base,
                    iov[i].iov_len,
-                   0);
+                   sflags);
         if (ret < 0) {
             if (errno == EAGAIN) {
                 if (done) {
diff --git a/io/channel-tls.c b/io/channel-tls.c
index 4ce890a538..c730cb8ec5 100644
--- a/io/channel-tls.c
+++ b/io/channel-tls.c
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_tls_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                      size_t niov,
                                      int **fds,
                                      size_t *nfds,
+                                     int flags,
                                      Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelTLS *tioc = QIO_CHANNEL_TLS(ioc);
diff --git a/io/channel-websock.c b/io/channel-websock.c
index fb4932ade7..a12acc27cf 100644
--- a/io/channel-websock.c
+++ b/io/channel-websock.c
@@ -1081,6 +1081,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_websock_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                          size_t niov,
                                          int **fds,
                                          size_t *nfds,
+                                         int flags,
                                          Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelWebsock *wioc = QIO_CHANNEL_WEBSOCK(ioc);
diff --git a/io/channel.c b/io/channel.c
index 0640941ac5..a8c7f11649 100644
--- a/io/channel.c
+++ b/io/channel.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ ssize_t qio_channel_readv_full(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                size_t niov,
                                int **fds,
                                size_t *nfds,
+                               int flags,
                                Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelClass *klass = QIO_CHANNEL_GET_CLASS(ioc);
@@ -63,7 +64,14 @@ ssize_t qio_channel_readv_full(QIOChannel *ioc,
         return -1;
     }
 
-    return klass->io_readv(ioc, iov, niov, fds, nfds, errp);
+    if ((flags & QIO_CHANNEL_READ_FLAG_MSG_PEEK) &&
+        !qio_channel_has_feature(ioc, QIO_CHANNEL_FEATURE_READ_MSG_PEEK)) {
+        error_setg_errno(errp, EINVAL,
+                         "Channel does not support peek read");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    return klass->io_readv(ioc, iov, niov, fds, nfds, flags, errp);
 }
 
 
@@ -146,7 +154,7 @@ int qio_channel_readv_full_all_eof(QIOChannel *ioc,
     while ((nlocal_iov > 0) || local_fds) {
         ssize_t len;
         len = qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, local_iov, nlocal_iov, local_fds,
-                                     local_nfds, errp);
+                                     local_nfds, 0, errp);
         if (len == QIO_CHANNEL_ERR_BLOCK) {
             if (qemu_in_coroutine()) {
                 qio_channel_yield(ioc, G_IO_IN);
@@ -284,7 +292,7 @@ ssize_t qio_channel_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                           size_t niov,
                           Error **errp)
 {
-    return qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, iov, niov, NULL, NULL, errp);
+    return qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, iov, niov, NULL, NULL, 0, errp);
 }
 
 
@@ -303,7 +311,7 @@ ssize_t qio_channel_read(QIOChannel *ioc,
                          Error **errp)
 {
     struct iovec iov = { .iov_base = buf, .iov_len = buflen };
-    return qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, &iov, 1, NULL, NULL, errp);
+    return qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, &iov, 1, NULL, NULL, 0, errp);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/migration/channel-block.c b/migration/channel-block.c
index f4ab53acdb..b7374363c3 100644
--- a/migration/channel-block.c
+++ b/migration/channel-block.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ qio_channel_block_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                         size_t niov,
                         int **fds,
                         size_t *nfds,
+                        int flags,
                         Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelBlock *bioc = QIO_CHANNEL_BLOCK(ioc);
diff --git a/migration/rdma.c b/migration/rdma.c
index 0ba1668d70..288eadc2d2 100644
--- a/migration/rdma.c
+++ b/migration/rdma.c
@@ -2857,6 +2857,7 @@ static ssize_t qio_channel_rdma_readv(QIOChannel *ioc,
                                       size_t niov,
                                       int **fds,
                                       size_t *nfds,
+                                      int flags,
                                       Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelRDMA *rioc = QIO_CHANNEL_RDMA(ioc);
diff --git a/scsi/qemu-pr-helper.c b/scsi/qemu-pr-helper.c
index 196b78c00d..199227a556 100644
--- a/scsi/qemu-pr-helper.c
+++ b/scsi/qemu-pr-helper.c
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ static int coroutine_fn prh_read(PRHelperClient *client, void *buf, int sz,
         iov.iov_base = buf;
         iov.iov_len = sz;
         n_read = qio_channel_readv_full(QIO_CHANNEL(client->ioc), &iov, 1,
-                                        &fds, &nfds, errp);
+                                        &fds, &nfds, 0, errp);
 
         if (n_read == QIO_CHANNEL_ERR_BLOCK) {
             qio_channel_yield(QIO_CHANNEL(client->ioc), G_IO_IN);
diff --git a/tests/qtest/tpm-emu.c b/tests/qtest/tpm-emu.c
index 73e0000a2c..f05fe12f01 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/tpm-emu.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/tpm-emu.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ void *tpm_emu_ctrl_thread(void *data)
         int *pfd = NULL;
         size_t nfd = 0;
 
-        qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, &iov, 1, &pfd, &nfd, &error_abort);
+        qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, &iov, 1, &pfd, &nfd, 0, &error_abort);
         cmd = be32_to_cpu(cmd);
         g_assert_cmpint(cmd, ==, CMD_SET_DATAFD);
         g_assert_cmpint(nfd, ==, 1);
diff --git a/tests/unit/test-io-channel-socket.c b/tests/unit/test-io-channel-socket.c
index b36a5d972a..b964bb202d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test-io-channel-socket.c
+++ b/tests/unit/test-io-channel-socket.c
@@ -460,6 +460,7 @@ static void test_io_channel_unix_fd_pass(void)
                            G_N_ELEMENTS(iorecv),
                            &fdrecv,
                            &nfdrecv,
+                           0,
                            &error_abort);
 
     g_assert(nfdrecv == G_N_ELEMENTS(fdsend));
diff --git a/util/vhost-user-server.c b/util/vhost-user-server.c
index 232984ace6..145eb17c08 100644
--- a/util/vhost-user-server.c
+++ b/util/vhost-user-server.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ vu_message_read(VuDev *vu_dev, int conn_fd, VhostUserMsg *vmsg)
          * qio_channel_readv_full may have short reads, keeping calling it
          * until getting VHOST_USER_HDR_SIZE or 0 bytes in total
          */
-        rc = qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, &iov, 1, &fds, &nfds, &local_err);
+        rc = qio_channel_readv_full(ioc, &iov, 1, &fds, &nfds, 0, &local_err);
         if (rc < 0) {
             if (rc == QIO_CHANNEL_ERR_BLOCK) {
                 assert(local_err == NULL);
