diff --git a/os-posix.c b/os-posix.c
index 8b686a44e1..6417d16dca 100644
--- a/os-posix.c
+++ b/os-posix.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include "qemu-options.h"
 
 static struct passwd *user_pwd;
+static const char *chroot_dir;
 
 void os_setup_early_signal_handling(void)
 {
@@ -156,6 +157,9 @@ void os_parse_cmd_args(int index, const char *optarg)
             exit(1);
         }
         break;
+    case QEMU_OPTION_chroot:
+        chroot_dir = optarg;
+        break;
     }
     return;
 }
@@ -177,3 +181,18 @@ void os_change_process_uid(void)
         }
     }
 }
+
+void os_change_root(void)
+{
+    if (chroot_dir) {
+        if (chroot(chroot_dir) < 0) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "chroot failed\n");
+            exit(1);
+        }
+        if (chdir("/")) {
+            perror("not able to chdir to /");
+            exit(1);
+        }
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/qemu-os-posix.h b/qemu-os-posix.h
index 6d8cf79899..91c7b68fd2 100644
--- a/qemu-os-posix.h
+++ b/qemu-os-posix.h
@@ -32,5 +32,6 @@ static inline void os_host_main_loop_wait(int *timeout)
 
 void os_setup_signal_handling(void);
 void os_change_process_uid(void);
+void os_change_root(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/qemu-os-win32.h b/qemu-os-win32.h
index 70fdca55c5..e2a97d2cb3 100644
--- a/qemu-os-win32.h
+++ b/qemu-os-win32.h
@@ -44,5 +44,6 @@ void os_host_main_loop_wait(int *timeout);
 
 static inline void os_setup_signal_handling(void) {}
 static inline void os_change_process_uid(void) {}
+static inline void os_change_root(void) {}
 
 #endif
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 723154b56f..a536784772 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2309,7 +2309,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     const char *incoming = NULL;
 #ifndef _WIN32
     int fd = 0;
-    const char *chroot_dir = NULL;
 #endif
     int show_vnc_port = 0;
     int defconfig = 1;
@@ -3053,11 +3052,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                 default_cdrom = 0;
                 default_sdcard = 0;
                 break;
-#ifndef _WIN32
-            case QEMU_OPTION_chroot:
-                chroot_dir = optarg;
-                break;
-#endif
             case QEMU_OPTION_xen_domid:
                 if (!(xen_available())) {
                     printf("Option %s not supported for this target\n", popt->name);
@@ -3548,17 +3542,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 	    exit(1);
     }
 
-    if (chroot_dir) {
-        if (chroot(chroot_dir) < 0) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "chroot failed\n");
-            exit(1);
-        }
-        if (chdir("/")) {
-            perror("not able to chdir to /");
-            exit(1);
-        }
-    }
-
+    os_change_root();
     os_change_process_uid();
 
     if (daemonize) {