diff --git a/hmp.c b/hmp.c
index c2b2c16..3d65529 100644
--- a/hmp.c
+++ b/hmp.c
@@ -1676,7 +1676,7 @@ void hmp_object_add(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
         goto out;
     }
 
-    ov = opts_visitor_new(opts);
+    ov = opts_visitor_new(opts, false);
     pdict = qdict_clone_shallow(qdict);
 
     visit_start_struct(opts_get_visitor(ov), &dummy, NULL, NULL, 0, &err);
diff --git a/hw/acpi/core.c b/hw/acpi/core.c
index 21e113d..3220ace 100644
--- a/hw/acpi/core.c
+++ b/hw/acpi/core.c
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ void acpi_table_add(const QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
     {
         OptsVisitor *ov;
 
-        ov = opts_visitor_new(opts);
+        ov = opts_visitor_new(opts, false);
         visit_type_AcpiTableOptions(opts_get_visitor(ov), &hdrs, NULL, &err);
         opts_visitor_cleanup(ov);
     }
diff --git a/include/qapi/opts-visitor.h b/include/qapi/opts-visitor.h
index fd48c14..8c0f3dc 100644
--- a/include/qapi/opts-visitor.h
+++ b/include/qapi/opts-visitor.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ typedef struct OptsVisitor OptsVisitor;
  * - values below INT64_MIN or LLONG_MIN are rejected,
  * - values above INT64_MAX or LLONG_MAX are rejected.
  */
-OptsVisitor *opts_visitor_new(const QemuOpts *opts);
+OptsVisitor *opts_visitor_new(const QemuOpts *opts, bool nested);
 void opts_visitor_cleanup(OptsVisitor *nv);
 Visitor *opts_get_visitor(OptsVisitor *nv);
 
diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index 87dd356..04dd9fe 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ int net_client_init(QemuOpts *opts, int is_netdev, Error **errp)
     int ret = -1;
 
     {
-        OptsVisitor *ov = opts_visitor_new(opts);
+        OptsVisitor *ov = opts_visitor_new(opts, false);
 
         net_visit(opts_get_visitor(ov), is_netdev, &object, &err);
         opts_visitor_cleanup(ov);
diff --git a/numa.c b/numa.c
index 1710946..271fbec 100644
--- a/numa.c
+++ b/numa.c
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ static int parse_numa(void *opaque, QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
     Error *err = NULL;
 
     {
-        OptsVisitor *ov = opts_visitor_new(opts);
+        OptsVisitor *ov = opts_visitor_new(opts, false);
         visit_type_NumaOptions(opts_get_visitor(ov), &object, NULL, &err);
         opts_visitor_cleanup(ov);
     }
diff --git a/qapi/opts-visitor.c b/qapi/opts-visitor.c
index 1820d54..a21881f 100644
--- a/qapi/opts-visitor.c
+++ b/qapi/opts-visitor.c
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ struct OptsVisitor
      * schema, with a single mandatory scalar member. */
     ListMode list_mode;
     GQueue *repeated_opts;
+    char *repeated_name;
 
     /* When parsing a list of repeating options as integers, values of the form
      * "a-b", representing a closed interval, are allowed. Elements in the
@@ -86,6 +87,9 @@ struct OptsVisitor
      * not survive or escape the OptsVisitor object.
      */
     QemuOpt *fake_id_opt;
+
+    /* List of field names leading to the current structure. */
+    GQueue *nested_names;
 };
 
 
@@ -100,6 +104,7 @@ static void
 opts_visitor_insert(GHashTable *unprocessed_opts, const QemuOpt *opt)
 {
     GQueue *list;
+    assert(opt);
 
     list = g_hash_table_lookup(unprocessed_opts, opt->name);
     if (list == NULL) {
@@ -127,6 +132,11 @@ opts_start_struct(Visitor *v, void **obj, const char *kind,
     if (obj) {
         *obj = g_malloc0(size > 0 ? size : 1);
     }
+
+    if (ov->nested_names != NULL) {
+        g_queue_push_tail(ov->nested_names, (gpointer) name);
+    }
+
     if (ov->depth++ > 0) {
         return;
     }
@@ -169,6 +179,10 @@ opts_end_struct(Visitor *v, Error **errp)
     OptsVisitor *ov = DO_UPCAST(OptsVisitor, visitor, v);
     GQueue *any;
 
+    if (ov->nested_names != NULL) {
+        g_queue_pop_tail(ov->nested_names);
+    }
+
     if (--ov->depth > 0) {
         return;
     }
@@ -198,15 +212,59 @@ opts_end_implicit_struct(Visitor *v, Error **errp)
 }
 
 
+static void
+sum_strlen(gpointer data, gpointer user_data)
+{
+    const char *str = data;
+    size_t *sum_len = user_data;
+
+    if (str) { /* skip NULLs */
+        *sum_len += strlen(str) + 1;
+    }
+}
+
+static void
+append_str(gpointer data, gpointer user_data)
+{
+    const char *str = data;
+    char *concat_str = user_data;
+
+    if (str) {
+        strcat(concat_str, str);
+        strcat(concat_str, ".");
+    }
+}
+
+/* lookup a name, using a fully qualified version */
 static GQueue *
-lookup_distinct(const OptsVisitor *ov, const char *name, Error **errp)
+lookup_distinct(const OptsVisitor *ov, const char *name, char **out_key,
+                Error **errp)
 {
-    GQueue *list;
+    GQueue *list = NULL;
+    char *key;
+
+    if (ov->nested_names != NULL) {
+        size_t sum_len = strlen(name);
+        g_queue_foreach(ov->nested_names, sum_strlen, &sum_len);
+        key = g_malloc(sum_len+1);
+        key[0] = 0;
+        g_queue_foreach(ov->nested_names, append_str, key);
+        strcat(key, name);
+    } else {
+        key = g_strdup(name);
+    }
+
+    list = g_hash_table_lookup(ov->unprocessed_opts, key);
+    if (list && out_key) {
+        *out_key = key;
+        key = NULL;
+    }
 
-    list = g_hash_table_lookup(ov->unprocessed_opts, name);
     if (!list) {
         error_setg(errp, QERR_MISSING_PARAMETER, name);
     }
+
+    g_free(key);
     return list;
 }
 
@@ -218,7 +276,8 @@ opts_start_list(Visitor *v, const char *name, Error **errp)
 
     /* we can't traverse a list in a list */
     assert(ov->list_mode == LM_NONE);
-    ov->repeated_opts = lookup_distinct(ov, name, errp);
+    assert(ov->repeated_opts == NULL && ov->repeated_name == NULL);
+    ov->repeated_opts = lookup_distinct(ov, name, &ov->repeated_name, errp);
     if (ov->repeated_opts != NULL) {
         ov->list_mode = LM_STARTED;
     }
@@ -254,11 +313,9 @@ opts_next_list(Visitor *v, GenericList **list, Error **errp)
         /* range has been completed, fall through in order to pop option */
 
     case LM_IN_PROGRESS: {
-        const QemuOpt *opt;
-
-        opt = g_queue_pop_head(ov->repeated_opts);
+        g_queue_pop_head(ov->repeated_opts);
         if (g_queue_is_empty(ov->repeated_opts)) {
-            g_hash_table_remove(ov->unprocessed_opts, opt->name);
+            g_hash_table_remove(ov->unprocessed_opts, ov->repeated_name);
             return NULL;
         }
         link = &(*list)->next;
@@ -284,22 +341,28 @@ opts_end_list(Visitor *v, Error **errp)
            ov->list_mode == LM_SIGNED_INTERVAL ||
            ov->list_mode == LM_UNSIGNED_INTERVAL);
     ov->repeated_opts = NULL;
+
+    g_free(ov->repeated_name);
+    ov->repeated_name = NULL;
+
     ov->list_mode = LM_NONE;
 }
 
 
 static const QemuOpt *
-lookup_scalar(const OptsVisitor *ov, const char *name, Error **errp)
+lookup_scalar(const OptsVisitor *ov, const char *name, char** out_key,
+              Error **errp)
 {
     if (ov->list_mode == LM_NONE) {
         GQueue *list;
 
         /* the last occurrence of any QemuOpt takes effect when queried by name
          */
-        list = lookup_distinct(ov, name, errp);
+        list = lookup_distinct(ov, name, out_key, errp);
         return list ? g_queue_peek_tail(list) : NULL;
     }
     assert(ov->list_mode == LM_IN_PROGRESS);
+    assert(out_key == NULL || *out_key == NULL);
     return g_queue_peek_head(ov->repeated_opts);
 }
 
@@ -321,13 +384,15 @@ opts_type_str(Visitor *v, char **obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
 {
     OptsVisitor *ov = DO_UPCAST(OptsVisitor, visitor, v);
     const QemuOpt *opt;
+    char *key = NULL;
 
-    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, errp);
+    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, &key, errp);
     if (!opt) {
         return;
     }
     *obj = g_strdup(opt->str ? opt->str : "");
-    processed(ov, name);
+    processed(ov, key);
+    g_free(key);
 }
 
 
@@ -337,8 +402,9 @@ opts_type_bool(Visitor *v, bool *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
 {
     OptsVisitor *ov = DO_UPCAST(OptsVisitor, visitor, v);
     const QemuOpt *opt;
+    char *key = NULL;
 
-    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, errp);
+    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, &key, errp);
     if (!opt) {
         return;
     }
@@ -355,13 +421,15 @@ opts_type_bool(Visitor *v, bool *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
         } else {
             error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, opt->name,
                        "on|yes|y|off|no|n");
+            g_free(key);
             return;
         }
     } else {
         *obj = true;
     }
 
-    processed(ov, name);
+    processed(ov, key);
+    g_free(key);
 }
 
 
@@ -373,13 +441,14 @@ opts_type_int(Visitor *v, int64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     const char *str;
     long long val;
     char *endptr;
+    char *key = NULL;
 
     if (ov->list_mode == LM_SIGNED_INTERVAL) {
         *obj = ov->range_next.s;
         return;
     }
 
-    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, errp);
+    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, &key, errp);
     if (!opt) {
         return;
     }
@@ -393,11 +462,13 @@ opts_type_int(Visitor *v, int64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     if (errno == 0 && endptr > str && INT64_MIN <= val && val <= INT64_MAX) {
         if (*endptr == '\0') {
             *obj = val;
-            processed(ov, name);
+            processed(ov, key);
+            g_free(key);
             return;
         }
         if (*endptr == '-' && ov->list_mode == LM_IN_PROGRESS) {
             long long val2;
+            assert(key == NULL);
 
             str = endptr + 1;
             val2 = strtoll(str, &endptr, 0);
@@ -418,6 +489,7 @@ opts_type_int(Visitor *v, int64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, opt->name,
                (ov->list_mode == LM_NONE) ? "an int64 value" :
                                             "an int64 value or range");
+    g_free(key);
 }
 
 
@@ -429,13 +501,14 @@ opts_type_uint64(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     const char *str;
     unsigned long long val;
     char *endptr;
+    char *key = NULL;
 
     if (ov->list_mode == LM_UNSIGNED_INTERVAL) {
         *obj = ov->range_next.u;
         return;
     }
 
-    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, errp);
+    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, &key, errp);
     if (!opt) {
         return;
     }
@@ -447,11 +520,13 @@ opts_type_uint64(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     if (parse_uint(str, &val, &endptr, 0) == 0 && val <= UINT64_MAX) {
         if (*endptr == '\0') {
             *obj = val;
-            processed(ov, name);
+            processed(ov, key);
+            g_free(key);
             return;
         }
         if (*endptr == '-' && ov->list_mode == LM_IN_PROGRESS) {
             unsigned long long val2;
+            assert(key == NULL);
 
             str = endptr + 1;
             if (parse_uint_full(str, &val2, 0) == 0 &&
@@ -470,6 +545,7 @@ opts_type_uint64(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, opt->name,
                (ov->list_mode == LM_NONE) ? "a uint64 value" :
                                             "a uint64 value or range");
+    g_free(key);
 }
 
 
@@ -480,8 +556,9 @@ opts_type_size(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     const QemuOpt *opt;
     int64_t val;
     char *endptr;
+    char *key = NULL;
 
-    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, errp);
+    opt = lookup_scalar(ov, name, &key, errp);
     if (!opt) {
         return;
     }
@@ -491,11 +568,13 @@ opts_type_size(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     if (val < 0 || *endptr) {
         error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, opt->name,
                    "a size value representible as a non-negative int64");
+        g_free(key);
         return;
     }
 
     *obj = val;
-    processed(ov, name);
+    processed(ov, key);
+    g_free(key);
 }
 
 
@@ -506,17 +585,23 @@ opts_optional(Visitor *v, bool *present, const char *name)
 
     /* we only support a single mandatory scalar field in a list node */
     assert(ov->list_mode == LM_NONE);
-    *present = (lookup_distinct(ov, name, NULL) != NULL);
+    *present = (lookup_distinct(ov, name, NULL, NULL) != NULL);
 }
 
 
 OptsVisitor *
-opts_visitor_new(const QemuOpts *opts)
+opts_visitor_new(const QemuOpts *opts, bool nested)
 {
     OptsVisitor *ov;
 
     ov = g_malloc0(sizeof *ov);
 
+    if (nested) {
+        ov->nested_names = g_queue_new();
+    } else {
+        ov->nested_names = NULL;
+    }
+
     ov->visitor.start_struct = &opts_start_struct;
     ov->visitor.end_struct   = &opts_end_struct;
 
@@ -560,6 +645,9 @@ opts_visitor_cleanup(OptsVisitor *ov)
     if (ov->unprocessed_opts != NULL) {
         g_hash_table_destroy(ov->unprocessed_opts);
     }
+    if (ov->nested_names != NULL) {
+        g_queue_free(ov->nested_names);
+    }
     g_free(ov->fake_id_opt);
     g_free(ov);
 }
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
index 4b89527..bd2bf0f 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
@@ -125,6 +125,11 @@
   'returns': 'int' }
 { 'command': 'guest-sync', 'data': { 'arg': 'any' }, 'returns': 'any' }
 
+# For testing hierarchy support in opts-visitor
+{ 'struct': 'UserDefOptionsSub',
+  'data': {
+    '*nint': 'int' } }
+
 # For testing integer range flattening in opts-visitor. The following schema
 # corresponds to the option format:
 #
@@ -138,7 +143,9 @@
     '*u64' : [ 'uint64' ],
     '*u16' : [ 'uint16' ],
     '*i64x':   'int'     ,
-    '*u64x':   'uint64'  } }
+    '*u64x':   'uint64'  ,
+    'sub0':    'UserDefOptionsSub',
+    'sub1':    'UserDefOptionsSub' } }
 
 # testing event
 { 'struct': 'EventStructOne',
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
index 2c546b7..9821063 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
@@ -153,6 +153,10 @@ object UserDefOptions
     member u16: uint16List optional=True
     member i64x: int optional=True
     member u64x: uint64 optional=True
+    member sub0: UserDefOptionsSub optional=False
+    member sub1: UserDefOptionsSub optional=False
+object UserDefOptionsSub
+    member nint: int optional=True
 object UserDefTwo
     member string0: str optional=False
     member dict1: UserDefTwoDict optional=False
diff --git a/tests/test-opts-visitor.c b/tests/test-opts-visitor.c
index 1c753d9..58ca41a 100644
--- a/tests/test-opts-visitor.c
+++ b/tests/test-opts-visitor.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ setup_fixture(OptsVisitorFixture *f, gconstpointer test_data)
                            NULL);
     g_assert(opts != NULL);
 
-    ov = opts_visitor_new(opts);
+    ov = opts_visitor_new(opts, true);
     visit_type_UserDefOptions(opts_get_visitor(ov), &f->userdef, NULL,
                               &f->err);
     opts_visitor_cleanup(ov);
@@ -178,6 +178,34 @@ expect_u64_max(OptsVisitorFixture *f, gconstpointer test_data)
     g_assert(f->userdef->u64->value == UINT64_MAX);
 }
 
+static void
+expect_both(OptsVisitorFixture *f, gconstpointer test_data)
+{
+    expect_ok(f, test_data);
+    g_assert(f->userdef->sub0->has_nint);
+    g_assert(f->userdef->sub0->nint == 13);
+    g_assert(f->userdef->sub1->has_nint);
+    g_assert(f->userdef->sub1->nint == 17);
+}
+
+static void
+expect_sub0(OptsVisitorFixture *f, gconstpointer test_data)
+{
+    expect_ok(f, test_data);
+    g_assert(f->userdef->sub0->has_nint);
+    g_assert(f->userdef->sub0->nint == 13);
+    g_assert(!f->userdef->sub1->has_nint);
+}
+
+static void
+expect_sub1(OptsVisitorFixture *f, gconstpointer test_data)
+{
+    expect_ok(f, test_data);
+    g_assert(!f->userdef->sub0->has_nint);
+    g_assert(f->userdef->sub1->has_nint);
+    g_assert(f->userdef->sub1->nint == 13);
+}
+
 /* test cases */
 
 int
@@ -271,6 +299,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     add_test("/visitor/opts/i64/range/2big/full", &expect_fail,
              "i64=-0x8000000000000000-0x7fffffffffffffff");
 
+    /* Test nested structs support */
+    add_test("/visitor/opts/nested/unqualified", &expect_fail, "nint=13");
+    add_test("/visitor/opts/nested/both",        &expect_both,
+             "sub0.nint=13,sub1.nint=17");
+    add_test("/visitor/opts/nested/sub0",        &expect_sub0, "sub0.nint=13");
+    add_test("/visitor/opts/nested/sub1",        &expect_sub1, "sub1.nint=13");
     g_test_run();
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 5aaea77..eb7edb0 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2835,7 +2835,7 @@ static int object_create(void *opaque, QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
     QDict *pdict;
     bool (*type_predicate)(const char *) = opaque;
 
-    ov = opts_visitor_new(opts);
+    ov = opts_visitor_new(opts, false);
     pdict = qemu_opts_to_qdict(opts, NULL);
 
     visit_start_struct(opts_get_visitor(ov), &dummy, NULL, NULL, 0, &err);
