diff --git a/hw/qdev-properties.c b/hw/qdev-properties.c
index 76699b0..51cb8b3 100644
--- a/hw/qdev-properties.c
+++ b/hw/qdev-properties.c
@@ -145,6 +145,31 @@ PropertyInfo qdev_prop_macaddr = {
     .print = print_mac,
 };
 
+/* --- string --- */
+
+static int parse_str(DeviceState *dev, Property *prop, const char *str)
+{
+    char **ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
+
+    qemu_free(*ptr);
+    *ptr = qemu_strdup(str);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static int print_str(DeviceState *dev, Property *prop, char *dest, size_t len)
+{
+    char **ptr = qdev_get_prop_ptr(dev, prop);
+    return snprintf(dest, len, "%s", *ptr);
+}
+
+PropertyInfo qdev_prop_str = {
+    .name  = "string",
+    .type  = PROP_TYPE_STRING,
+    .size  = sizeof(char*),
+    .parse = parse_str,
+    .print = print_str,
+};
+
 /* --- public helpers --- */
 
 static Property *qdev_prop_walk(Property *props, const char *name)
@@ -229,6 +254,12 @@ void qdev_prop_set_ptr(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, void *value)
     qdev_prop_set(dev, name, &value, PROP_TYPE_PTR);
 }
 
+void qdev_prop_set_str(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, char *str)
+{
+    char *value = qemu_strdup(str);
+    qdev_prop_set(dev, name, &value, PROP_TYPE_STRING);
+}
+
 void qdev_prop_set_defaults(DeviceState *dev, Property *props)
 {
     char *dst;
diff --git a/hw/qdev.h b/hw/qdev.h
index 59ac8dc..ec38a37 100644
--- a/hw/qdev.h
+++ b/hw/qdev.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ enum PropertyType {
     PROP_TYPE_TADDR,
     PROP_TYPE_MACADDR,
     PROP_TYPE_PTR,
+    PROP_TYPE_STRING,
 };
 
 struct PropertyInfo {
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_uint32;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_hex32;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_ptr;
 extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_macaddr;
+extern PropertyInfo qdev_prop_str;
 
 /* Set properties between creation and init.  */
 void *qdev_get_prop_ptr(DeviceState *dev, Property *prop);
@@ -157,6 +159,7 @@ void qdev_prop_set_uint16(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, uint16_t value);
 void qdev_prop_set_uint32(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, uint32_t value);
 /* FIXME: Remove opaque pointer properties.  */
 void qdev_prop_set_ptr(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, void *value);
+void qdev_prop_set_str(DeviceState *dev, const char *name, char *value);
 void qdev_prop_set_defaults(DeviceState *dev, Property *props);
 
 void qdev_prop_register_compat(CompatProperty *props);