diff --git a/hw/qdev.c b/hw/qdev.c
index 373ddfcae5..c7884d0e82 100644
--- a/hw/qdev.c
+++ b/hw/qdev.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ static int qdev_hotplug = 0;
 /* This is a nasty hack to allow passing a NULL bus to qdev_create.  */
 static BusState *main_system_bus;
 
-static DeviceInfo *device_info_list;
+DeviceInfo *device_info_list;
 
 static BusState *qbus_find_recursive(BusState *bus, const char *name,
                                      const BusInfo *info);
diff --git a/hw/qdev.h b/hw/qdev.h
index 9c8f9e2ece..41642ee8a9 100644
--- a/hw/qdev.h
+++ b/hw/qdev.h
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ struct DeviceInfo {
     BusInfo *bus_info;
     struct DeviceInfo *next;
 };
+extern DeviceInfo *device_info_list;
 
 void qdev_register(DeviceInfo *info);
 
diff --git a/hw/usb-bus.c b/hw/usb-bus.c
index 98987a1973..28b517f5da 100644
--- a/hw/usb-bus.c
+++ b/hw/usb-bus.c
@@ -252,3 +252,50 @@ void usb_info(Monitor *mon)
     }
 }
 
+/* handle legacy -usbdevice cmd line option */
+USBDevice *usbdevice_create(const char *cmdline)
+{
+    USBBus *bus = usb_bus_find(-1 /* any */);
+    DeviceInfo *info;
+    USBDeviceInfo *usb;
+    char driver[32], *params;
+    int len;
+
+    params = strchr(cmdline,':');
+    if (params) {
+        params++;
+        len = params - cmdline;
+        if (len > sizeof(driver))
+            len = sizeof(driver);
+        pstrcpy(driver, len, cmdline);
+    } else {
+        pstrcpy(driver, sizeof(driver), cmdline);
+    }
+
+    for (info = device_info_list; info != NULL; info = info->next) {
+        if (info->bus_info != &usb_bus_info)
+            continue;
+        usb = DO_UPCAST(USBDeviceInfo, qdev, info);
+        if (usb->usbdevice_name == NULL)
+            continue;
+        if (strcmp(usb->usbdevice_name, driver) != 0)
+            continue;
+        break;
+    }
+    if (info == NULL) {
+#if 0
+        /* no error because some drivers are not converted (yet) */
+        qemu_error("usbdevice %s not found\n", driver);
+#endif
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (!usb->usbdevice_init) {
+        if (params) {
+            qemu_error("usbdevice %s accepts no params\n", driver);
+            return NULL;
+        }
+        return usb_create_simple(bus, usb->qdev.name);
+    }
+    return usb->usbdevice_init(params);
+}
diff --git a/hw/usb.h b/hw/usb.h
index be4fcf6d1b..62362a7da1 100644
--- a/hw/usb.h
+++ b/hw/usb.h
@@ -183,6 +183,10 @@ struct USBDeviceInfo {
      * Returns length or one of the USB_RET_ codes.
      */
     int (*handle_data)(USBDevice *dev, USBPacket *p);
+
+    /* handle legacy -usbdevice command line options */
+    const char *usbdevice_name;
+    USBDevice *(*usbdevice_init)(const char *params);
 };
 
 typedef void (*usb_attachfn)(USBPort *port, USBDevice *dev);
@@ -309,6 +313,7 @@ void usb_qdev_register(USBDeviceInfo *info);
 void usb_qdev_register_many(USBDeviceInfo *info);
 USBDevice *usb_create(USBBus *bus, const char *name);
 USBDevice *usb_create_simple(USBBus *bus, const char *name);
+USBDevice *usbdevice_create(const char *cmdline);
 void usb_register_port(USBBus *bus, USBPort *port, void *opaque, int index,
                        usb_attachfn attach);
 void usb_unregister_port(USBBus *bus, USBPort *port);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index ac9ff5251d..a58bc06412 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2556,6 +2556,11 @@ static int usb_device_add(const char *devname, int is_hotplug)
     if (!usb_enabled)
         return -1;
 
+    /* drivers with .usbdevice_name entry in USBDeviceInfo */
+    dev = usbdevice_create(devname);
+    if (dev)
+        goto done;
+
     /* simple devices which don't need extra care */
     for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(usbdevs); i++) {
         if (strcmp(devname, usbdevs[i].name) != 0)