diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index cb21a5f..c660609 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ int bdrv_file_open(BlockDriverState **pbs, const char *filename,
     }
 
     if (!drv->bdrv_file_open) {
-        ret = bdrv_open(bs, filename, options, flags, drv, &local_err);
+        ret = bdrv_open(&bs, filename, options, flags, drv, &local_err);
         options = NULL;
     } else {
         ret = bdrv_open_common(bs, NULL, options, flags, drv, &local_err);
@@ -1108,8 +1108,6 @@ int bdrv_open_backing_file(BlockDriverState *bs, QDict *options, Error **errp)
                                        sizeof(backing_filename));
     }
 
-    bs->backing_hd = bdrv_new("");
-
     if (bs->backing_format[0] != '\0') {
         back_drv = bdrv_find_format(bs->backing_format);
     }
@@ -1118,11 +1116,10 @@ int bdrv_open_backing_file(BlockDriverState *bs, QDict *options, Error **errp)
     back_flags = bs->open_flags & ~(BDRV_O_RDWR | BDRV_O_SNAPSHOT |
                                     BDRV_O_COPY_ON_READ);
 
-    ret = bdrv_open(bs->backing_hd,
+    ret = bdrv_open(&bs->backing_hd,
                     *backing_filename ? backing_filename : NULL, options,
                     back_flags, back_drv, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        bdrv_unref(bs->backing_hd);
         bs->backing_hd = NULL;
         bs->open_flags |= BDRV_O_NO_BACKING;
         error_setg(errp, "Could not open backing file: %s",
@@ -1189,8 +1186,6 @@ int bdrv_open_image(BlockDriverState **pbs, const char *filename,
         /* If a filename is given and the block driver should be detected
            automatically (instead of using none), use bdrv_open() in order to do
            that auto-detection. */
-        BlockDriverState *bs;
-
         if (reference) {
             error_setg(errp, "Cannot reference an existing block device while "
                        "giving a filename");
@@ -1198,13 +1193,8 @@ int bdrv_open_image(BlockDriverState **pbs, const char *filename,
             goto done;
         }
 
-        bs = bdrv_new("");
-        ret = bdrv_open(bs, filename, image_options, flags, NULL, errp);
-        if (ret < 0) {
-            bdrv_unref(bs);
-        } else {
-            *pbs = bs;
-        }
+        *pbs = NULL;
+        ret = bdrv_open(pbs, filename, image_options, flags, NULL, errp);
     } else {
         ret = bdrv_file_open(pbs, filename, reference, image_options, flags,
                              errp);
@@ -1222,14 +1212,17 @@ done:
  * empty set of options. The reference to the QDict belongs to the block layer
  * after the call (even on failure), so if the caller intends to reuse the
  * dictionary, it needs to use QINCREF() before calling bdrv_open.
+ *
+ * If *pbs is NULL, a new BDS will be created with a pointer to it stored there.
+ * If it is not NULL, the referenced BDS will be reused.
  */
-int bdrv_open(BlockDriverState *bs, const char *filename, QDict *options,
+int bdrv_open(BlockDriverState **pbs, const char *filename, QDict *options,
               int flags, BlockDriver *drv, Error **errp)
 {
     int ret;
     /* TODO: extra byte is a hack to ensure MAX_PATH space on Windows. */
     char tmp_filename[PATH_MAX + 1];
-    BlockDriverState *file = NULL;
+    BlockDriverState *file = NULL, *bs = NULL;
     const char *drvname;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
 
@@ -1238,12 +1231,17 @@ int bdrv_open(BlockDriverState *bs, const char *filename, QDict *options,
         options = qdict_new();
     }
 
+    if (*pbs) {
+        bs = *pbs;
+    } else {
+        bs = bdrv_new("");
+    }
     bs->options = options;
     options = qdict_clone_shallow(options);
 
     /* For snapshot=on, create a temporary qcow2 overlay */
     if (flags & BDRV_O_SNAPSHOT) {
-        BlockDriverState *bs1;
+        BlockDriverState *bs1 = NULL;
         int64_t total_size;
         BlockDriver *bdrv_qcow2;
         QEMUOptionParameter *create_options;
@@ -1253,12 +1251,10 @@ int bdrv_open(BlockDriverState *bs, const char *filename, QDict *options,
            instead of opening 'filename' directly */
 
         /* Get the required size from the image */
-        bs1 = bdrv_new("");
         QINCREF(options);
-        ret = bdrv_open(bs1, filename, options, BDRV_O_NO_BACKING,
+        ret = bdrv_open(&bs1, filename, options, BDRV_O_NO_BACKING,
                         drv, &local_err);
         if (ret < 0) {
-            bdrv_unref(bs1);
             goto fail;
         }
         total_size = bdrv_getlength(bs1) & BDRV_SECTOR_MASK;
@@ -1386,6 +1382,7 @@ int bdrv_open(BlockDriverState *bs, const char *filename, QDict *options,
         bdrv_dev_change_media_cb(bs, true);
     }
 
+    *pbs = bs;
     return 0;
 
 unlink_and_fail:
@@ -1399,13 +1396,20 @@ fail:
     QDECREF(bs->options);
     QDECREF(options);
     bs->options = NULL;
+    if (!*pbs) {
+        bdrv_unref(bs);
+    }
     if (error_is_set(&local_err)) {
         error_propagate(errp, local_err);
     }
     return ret;
 
 close_and_fail:
-    bdrv_close(bs);
+    if (*pbs) {
+        bdrv_close(bs);
+    } else {
+        bdrv_unref(bs);
+    }
     QDECREF(options);
     if (error_is_set(&local_err)) {
         error_propagate(errp, local_err);
@@ -5276,7 +5280,7 @@ void bdrv_img_create(const char *filename, const char *fmt,
     size = get_option_parameter(param, BLOCK_OPT_SIZE);
     if (size && size->value.n == -1) {
         if (backing_file && backing_file->value.s) {
-            BlockDriverState *bs;
+            BlockDriverState *bs = NULL;
             uint64_t size;
             char buf[32];
             int back_flags;
@@ -5285,9 +5289,7 @@ void bdrv_img_create(const char *filename, const char *fmt,
             back_flags =
                 flags & ~(BDRV_O_RDWR | BDRV_O_SNAPSHOT | BDRV_O_NO_BACKING);
 
-            bs = bdrv_new("");
-
-            ret = bdrv_open(bs, backing_file->value.s, NULL, back_flags,
+            ret = bdrv_open(&bs, backing_file->value.s, NULL, back_flags,
                             backing_drv, &local_err);
             if (ret < 0) {
                 error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "Could not open '%s': %s",
@@ -5295,7 +5297,6 @@ void bdrv_img_create(const char *filename, const char *fmt,
                                  error_get_pretty(local_err));
                 error_free(local_err);
                 local_err = NULL;
-                bdrv_unref(bs);
                 goto out;
             }
             bdrv_get_geometry(bs, &size);
diff --git a/block/qcow2.c b/block/qcow2.c
index 2da62b8..9a25fbd 100644
--- a/block/qcow2.c
+++ b/block/qcow2.c
@@ -1541,7 +1541,8 @@ static int qcow2_create2(const char *filename, int64_t total_size,
         goto out;
     }
 
-    bdrv_close(bs);
+    bdrv_unref(bs);
+    bs = NULL;
 
     /*
      * And now open the image and make it consistent first (i.e. increase the
@@ -1550,7 +1551,7 @@ static int qcow2_create2(const char *filename, int64_t total_size,
      */
     BlockDriver* drv = bdrv_find_format("qcow2");
     assert(drv != NULL);
-    ret = bdrv_open(bs, filename, NULL,
+    ret = bdrv_open(&bs, filename, NULL,
         BDRV_O_RDWR | BDRV_O_CACHE_WB | BDRV_O_NO_FLUSH, drv, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_propagate(errp, local_err);
@@ -1597,10 +1598,11 @@ static int qcow2_create2(const char *filename, int64_t total_size,
         }
     }
 
-    bdrv_close(bs);
+    bdrv_unref(bs);
+    bs = NULL;
 
     /* Reopen the image without BDRV_O_NO_FLUSH to flush it before returning */
-    ret = bdrv_open(bs, filename, NULL,
+    ret = bdrv_open(&bs, filename, NULL,
                     BDRV_O_RDWR | BDRV_O_CACHE_WB | BDRV_O_NO_BACKING,
                     drv, &local_err);
     if (error_is_set(&local_err)) {
@@ -1610,7 +1612,9 @@ static int qcow2_create2(const char *filename, int64_t total_size,
 
     ret = 0;
 out:
-    bdrv_unref(bs);
+    if (bs) {
+        bdrv_unref(bs);
+    }
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/block/vmdk.c b/block/vmdk.c
index 99ca60f..0fbf230 100644
--- a/block/vmdk.c
+++ b/block/vmdk.c
@@ -1755,10 +1755,9 @@ static int vmdk_create(const char *filename, QEMUOptionParameter *options,
         goto exit;
     }
     if (backing_file) {
-        BlockDriverState *bs = bdrv_new("");
-        ret = bdrv_open(bs, backing_file, NULL, BDRV_O_NO_BACKING, NULL, errp);
+        BlockDriverState *bs = NULL;
+        ret = bdrv_open(&bs, backing_file, NULL, BDRV_O_NO_BACKING, NULL, errp);
         if (ret != 0) {
-            bdrv_unref(bs);
             goto exit;
         }
         if (strcmp(bs->drv->format_name, "vmdk")) {
diff --git a/block/vvfat.c b/block/vvfat.c
index 664941c..ae7bc6f 100644
--- a/block/vvfat.c
+++ b/block/vvfat.c
@@ -2936,15 +2936,13 @@ static int enable_write_target(BDRVVVFATState *s)
         goto err;
     }
 
-    s->qcow = bdrv_new("");
-
-    ret = bdrv_open(s->qcow, s->qcow_filename, NULL,
+    s->qcow = NULL;
+    ret = bdrv_open(&s->qcow, s->qcow_filename, NULL,
             BDRV_O_RDWR | BDRV_O_CACHE_WB | BDRV_O_NO_FLUSH, bdrv_qcow,
             &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
         qerror_report_err(local_err);
         error_free(local_err);
-        bdrv_unref(s->qcow);
         goto err;
     }
 
diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index 36ceece..42163f8 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ static DriveInfo *blockdev_init(const char *file, QDict *bs_opts,
     bdrv_flags |= ro ? 0 : BDRV_O_RDWR;
 
     QINCREF(bs_opts);
-    ret = bdrv_open(dinfo->bdrv, file, bs_opts, bdrv_flags, drv, &error);
+    ret = bdrv_open(&dinfo->bdrv, file, bs_opts, bdrv_flags, drv, &error);
 
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_setg(errp, "could not open disk image %s: %s",
@@ -1301,12 +1301,11 @@ static void external_snapshot_prepare(BlkTransactionState *common,
                   qstring_from_str(snapshot_node_name));
     }
 
-    /* We will manually add the backing_hd field to the bs later */
-    state->new_bs = bdrv_new("");
     /* TODO Inherit bs->options or only take explicit options with an
      * extended QMP command? */
-    ret = bdrv_open(state->new_bs, new_image_file, options,
+    ret = bdrv_open(&state->new_bs, new_image_file, options,
                     flags | BDRV_O_NO_BACKING, drv, &local_err);
+    /* We will manually add the backing_hd field to the bs later */
     if (ret != 0) {
         error_propagate(errp, local_err);
     }
@@ -1555,7 +1554,7 @@ static void qmp_bdrv_open_encrypted(BlockDriverState *bs, const char *filename,
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     int ret;
 
-    ret = bdrv_open(bs, filename, NULL, bdrv_flags, drv, &local_err);
+    ret = bdrv_open(&bs, filename, NULL, bdrv_flags, drv, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_propagate(errp, local_err);
         return;
@@ -1906,7 +1905,7 @@ void qmp_drive_backup(const char *device, const char *target,
                       Error **errp)
 {
     BlockDriverState *bs;
-    BlockDriverState *target_bs;
+    BlockDriverState *target_bs = NULL;
     BlockDriverState *source = NULL;
     BlockDriver *drv = NULL;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
@@ -1991,10 +1990,8 @@ void qmp_drive_backup(const char *device, const char *target,
         return;
     }
 
-    target_bs = bdrv_new("");
-    ret = bdrv_open(target_bs, target, NULL, flags, drv, &local_err);
+    ret = bdrv_open(&target_bs, target, NULL, flags, drv, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        bdrv_unref(target_bs);
         error_propagate(errp, local_err);
         return;
     }
@@ -2027,7 +2024,7 @@ void qmp_drive_mirror(const char *device, const char *target,
                       Error **errp)
 {
     BlockDriverState *bs;
-    BlockDriverState *source, *target_bs;
+    BlockDriverState *source, *target_bs = NULL;
     BlockDriver *drv = NULL;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     int flags;
@@ -2135,11 +2132,9 @@ void qmp_drive_mirror(const char *device, const char *target,
     /* Mirroring takes care of copy-on-write using the source's backing
      * file.
      */
-    target_bs = bdrv_new("");
-    ret = bdrv_open(target_bs, target, NULL, flags | BDRV_O_NO_BACKING, drv,
+    ret = bdrv_open(&target_bs, target, NULL, flags | BDRV_O_NO_BACKING, drv,
                     &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        bdrv_unref(target_bs);
         error_propagate(errp, local_err);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/hw/block/xen_disk.c b/hw/block/xen_disk.c
index 098f6c6..14e6d0b 100644
--- a/hw/block/xen_disk.c
+++ b/hw/block/xen_disk.c
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ static int blk_connect(struct XenDevice *xendev)
             Error *local_err = NULL;
             BlockDriver *drv = bdrv_find_whitelisted_format(blkdev->fileproto,
                                                            readonly);
-            if (bdrv_open(blkdev->bs,
+            if (bdrv_open(&blkdev->bs,
                           blkdev->filename, NULL, qflags, drv, &local_err) != 0)
             {
                 xen_be_printf(&blkdev->xendev, 0, "error: %s\n",
diff --git a/include/block/block.h b/include/block/block.h
index 963a61f..980869d 100644
--- a/include/block/block.h
+++ b/include/block/block.h
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ int bdrv_open_image(BlockDriverState **pbs, const char *filename,
                     QDict *options, const char *bdref_key, int flags,
                     bool force_raw, bool allow_none, Error **errp);
 int bdrv_open_backing_file(BlockDriverState *bs, QDict *options, Error **errp);
-int bdrv_open(BlockDriverState *bs, const char *filename, QDict *options,
+int bdrv_open(BlockDriverState **pbs, const char *filename, QDict *options,
               int flags, BlockDriver *drv, Error **errp);
 BlockReopenQueue *bdrv_reopen_queue(BlockReopenQueue *bs_queue,
                                     BlockDriverState *bs, int flags);
diff --git a/qemu-img.c b/qemu-img.c
index c989850..c39d486 100644
--- a/qemu-img.c
+++ b/qemu-img.c
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ static BlockDriverState *bdrv_new_open(const char *filename,
         drv = NULL;
     }
 
-    ret = bdrv_open(bs, filename, NULL, flags, drv, &local_err);
+    ret = bdrv_open(&bs, filename, NULL, flags, drv, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Could not open '%s': %s", filename,
                      error_get_pretty(local_err));
@@ -2314,7 +2314,7 @@ static int img_rebase(int argc, char **argv)
 
         bs_old_backing = bdrv_new("old_backing");
         bdrv_get_backing_filename(bs, backing_name, sizeof(backing_name));
-        ret = bdrv_open(bs_old_backing, backing_name, NULL, BDRV_O_FLAGS,
+        ret = bdrv_open(&bs_old_backing, backing_name, NULL, BDRV_O_FLAGS,
                         old_backing_drv, &local_err);
         if (ret) {
             error_report("Could not open old backing file '%s': %s",
@@ -2324,7 +2324,7 @@ static int img_rebase(int argc, char **argv)
         }
         if (out_baseimg[0]) {
             bs_new_backing = bdrv_new("new_backing");
-            ret = bdrv_open(bs_new_backing, out_baseimg, NULL, BDRV_O_FLAGS,
+            ret = bdrv_open(&bs_new_backing, out_baseimg, NULL, BDRV_O_FLAGS,
                         new_backing_drv, &local_err);
             if (ret) {
                 error_report("Could not open new backing file '%s': %s",
diff --git a/qemu-io.c b/qemu-io.c
index d669028..2f06dc6 100644
--- a/qemu-io.c
+++ b/qemu-io.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ static int openfile(char *name, int flags, int growable, QDict *opts)
     } else {
         qemuio_bs = bdrv_new("hda");
 
-        if (bdrv_open(qemuio_bs, name, opts, flags, NULL, &local_err) < 0) {
+        if (bdrv_open(&qemuio_bs, name, opts, flags, NULL, &local_err) < 0) {
             fprintf(stderr, "%s: can't open device %s: %s\n", progname, name,
                     error_get_pretty(local_err));
             error_free(local_err);
diff --git a/qemu-nbd.c b/qemu-nbd.c
index 136e8c9..0cf123c 100644
--- a/qemu-nbd.c
+++ b/qemu-nbd.c
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     bs = bdrv_new("hda");
     srcpath = argv[optind];
-    ret = bdrv_open(bs, srcpath, NULL, flags, drv, &local_err);
+    ret = bdrv_open(&bs, srcpath, NULL, flags, drv, &local_err);
     if (ret < 0) {
         errno = -ret;
         err(EXIT_FAILURE, "Failed to bdrv_open '%s': %s", argv[optind],
