diff --git a/hmp.c b/hmp.c
index 4b6b1149bb..fd80dce758 100644
--- a/hmp.c
+++ b/hmp.c
@@ -1586,11 +1586,15 @@ void hmp_migrate_set_parameter(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
                 break;
             case MIGRATION_PARAMETER_TLS_CREDS:
                 p->has_tls_creds = true;
-                visit_type_str(v, param, &p->tls_creds, &err);
+                p->tls_creds = g_new0(StrOrNull, 1);
+                p->tls_creds->type = QTYPE_QSTRING;
+                visit_type_str(v, param, &p->tls_creds->u.s, &err);
                 break;
             case MIGRATION_PARAMETER_TLS_HOSTNAME:
                 p->has_tls_hostname = true;
-                visit_type_str(v, param, &p->tls_hostname, &err);
+                p->tls_hostname = g_new0(StrOrNull, 1);
+                p->tls_hostname->type = QTYPE_QSTRING;
+                visit_type_str(v, param, &p->tls_hostname->u.s, &err);
                 break;
             case MIGRATION_PARAMETER_MAX_BANDWIDTH:
                 p->has_max_bandwidth = true;
diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index 205b801b70..085c32c994 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -770,11 +770,13 @@ static void migrate_params_test_apply(MigrateSetParameters *params,
     }
 
     if (params->has_tls_creds) {
-        dest->tls_creds = g_strdup(params->tls_creds);
+        assert(params->tls_creds->type == QTYPE_QSTRING);
+        dest->tls_creds = g_strdup(params->tls_creds->u.s);
     }
 
     if (params->has_tls_hostname) {
-        dest->tls_hostname = g_strdup(params->tls_hostname);
+        assert(params->tls_hostname->type == QTYPE_QSTRING);
+        dest->tls_hostname = g_strdup(params->tls_hostname->u.s);
     }
 
     if (params->has_max_bandwidth) {
@@ -822,12 +824,14 @@ static void migrate_params_apply(MigrateSetParameters *params)
 
     if (params->has_tls_creds) {
         g_free(s->parameters.tls_creds);
-        s->parameters.tls_creds = g_strdup(params->tls_creds);
+        assert(params->tls_creds->type == QTYPE_QSTRING);
+        s->parameters.tls_creds = g_strdup(params->tls_creds->u.s);
     }
 
     if (params->has_tls_hostname) {
         g_free(s->parameters.tls_hostname);
-        s->parameters.tls_hostname = g_strdup(params->tls_hostname);
+        assert(params->tls_hostname->type == QTYPE_QSTRING);
+        s->parameters.tls_hostname = g_strdup(params->tls_hostname->u.s);
     }
 
     if (params->has_max_bandwidth) {
@@ -858,6 +862,21 @@ void qmp_migrate_set_parameters(MigrateSetParameters *params, Error **errp)
 {
     MigrationParameters tmp;
 
+    /* TODO Rewrite "" to null instead */
+    if (params->has_tls_creds
+        && params->tls_creds->type == QTYPE_QNULL) {
+        QDECREF(params->tls_creds->u.n);
+        params->tls_creds->type = QTYPE_QSTRING;
+        params->tls_creds->u.s = strdup("");
+    }
+    /* TODO Rewrite "" to null instead */
+    if (params->has_tls_hostname
+        && params->tls_hostname->type == QTYPE_QNULL) {
+        QDECREF(params->tls_hostname->u.n);
+        params->tls_hostname->type = QTYPE_QSTRING;
+        params->tls_hostname->u.s = strdup("");
+    }
+
     migrate_params_test_apply(params, &tmp);
 
     if (!migrate_params_check(&tmp, errp)) {
diff --git a/qapi-schema.json b/qapi-schema.json
index 70c35412df..9c6c3e1a53 100644
--- a/qapi-schema.json
+++ b/qapi-schema.json
@@ -115,6 +115,22 @@
 ##
 { 'command': 'qmp_capabilities' }
 
+##
+# @StrOrNull:
+#
+# This is a string value or the explicit lack of a string (null
+# pointer in C).  Intended for cases when 'optional absent' already
+# has a different meaning.
+#
+# @s: the string value
+# @n: no string value
+#
+# Since: 2.10
+##
+{ 'alternate': 'StrOrNull',
+  'data': { 's': 'str',
+            'n': 'null' } }
+
 ##
 # @LostTickPolicy:
 #
@@ -1098,8 +1114,8 @@
             '*decompress-threads': 'int',
             '*cpu-throttle-initial': 'int',
             '*cpu-throttle-increment': 'int',
-            '*tls-creds': 'str',
-            '*tls-hostname': 'str',
+            '*tls-creds': 'StrOrNull',
+            '*tls-hostname': 'StrOrNull',
             '*max-bandwidth': 'int',
             '*downtime-limit': 'int',
             '*x-checkpoint-delay': 'int',