diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index 178257a..128a90f 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 #include "net/colo-compare.h"
 #include "net/filter.h"
 #include "qapi/string-output-visitor.h"
+#include "qapi/qobject-input-visitor.h"
 
 /* Net bridge is currently not supported for W32. */
 #if !defined(_WIN32)
@@ -63,6 +64,16 @@
 static VMChangeStateEntry *net_change_state_entry;
 static QTAILQ_HEAD(, NetClientState) net_clients;
 
+typedef struct NetdevQueueEntry {
+    Netdev *nd;
+    Location loc;
+    QSIMPLEQ_ENTRY(NetdevQueueEntry) entry;
+} NetdevQueueEntry;
+
+typedef QSIMPLEQ_HEAD(, NetdevQueueEntry) NetdevQueue;
+
+static NetdevQueue nd_queue = QSIMPLEQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(nd_queue);
+
 /***********************************************************/
 /* network device redirectors */
 
@@ -1566,6 +1577,20 @@
     return ret;
 }
 
+static void netdev_init_modern(void)
+{
+    while (!QSIMPLEQ_EMPTY(&nd_queue)) {
+        NetdevQueueEntry *nd = QSIMPLEQ_FIRST(&nd_queue);
+
+        QSIMPLEQ_REMOVE_HEAD(&nd_queue, entry);
+        loc_push_restore(&nd->loc);
+        net_client_init1(nd->nd, true, &error_fatal);
+        loc_pop(&nd->loc);
+        qapi_free_Netdev(nd->nd);
+        g_free(nd);
+    }
+}
+
 void net_init_clients(void)
 {
     net_change_state_entry =
@@ -1573,6 +1598,8 @@
 
     QTAILQ_INIT(&net_clients);
 
+    netdev_init_modern();
+
     qemu_opts_foreach(qemu_find_opts("netdev"), net_init_netdev, NULL,
                       &error_fatal);
 
@@ -1583,6 +1610,36 @@
                       &error_fatal);
 }
 
+/*
+ * Does this -netdev argument use modern rather than traditional syntax?
+ * Modern syntax is to be parsed with netdev_parse_modern().
+ * Traditional syntax is to be parsed with net_client_parse().
+ */
+bool netdev_is_modern(const char *optarg)
+{
+    return false;
+}
+
+/*
+ * netdev_parse_modern() uses modern, more expressive syntax than
+ * net_client_parse(), but supports only the -netdev option.
+ * netdev_parse_modern() appends to @nd_queue, whereas net_client_parse()
+ * appends to @qemu_netdev_opts.
+ */
+void netdev_parse_modern(const char *optarg)
+{
+    Visitor *v;
+    NetdevQueueEntry *nd;
+
+    v = qobject_input_visitor_new_str(optarg, "type", &error_fatal);
+    nd = g_new(NetdevQueueEntry, 1);
+    visit_type_Netdev(v, NULL, &nd->nd, &error_fatal);
+    visit_free(v);
+    loc_save(&nd->loc);
+
+    QSIMPLEQ_INSERT_TAIL(&nd_queue, nd, entry);
+}
+
 void net_client_parse(QemuOptsList *opts_list, const char *optarg)
 {
     if (!qemu_opts_parse_noisily(opts_list, optarg, true)) {