diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 6abedcf..fe451aa 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2823,15 +2823,25 @@
     Object *obj = OBJECT(opaque);
     StringInputVisitor *siv;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
+    char *c, *qom_name;
 
     if (strcmp(name, "qom-type") == 0 || strcmp(name, "id") == 0 ||
         strcmp(name, "type") == 0) {
         return 0;
     }
 
+    qom_name = g_strdup(name);
+    c = qom_name;
+    while (*c++) {
+        if (*c == '_') {
+            *c = '-';
+        }
+    }
+
     siv = string_input_visitor_new(value);
-    object_property_set(obj, string_input_get_visitor(siv), name, &local_err);
+    object_property_set(obj, string_input_get_visitor(siv), qom_name, &local_err);
     string_input_visitor_cleanup(siv);
+    g_free(qom_name);
 
     if (local_err) {
         qerror_report_err(local_err);