diff --git a/monitor/hmp.c b/monitor/hmp.c
index b20737e63c..569066036d 100644
--- a/monitor/hmp.c
+++ b/monitor/hmp.c
@@ -981,6 +981,7 @@ static QDict *monitor_parse_arguments(Monitor *mon,
             {
                 const char *tmp = p;
                 int skip_key = 0;
+                int ret;
                 /* option */
 
                 c = *typestr++;
@@ -1003,11 +1004,27 @@ static QDict *monitor_parse_arguments(Monitor *mon,
                     }
                     if (skip_key) {
                         p = tmp;
+                    } else if (*typestr == 's') {
+                        /* has option with string value */
+                        typestr++;
+                        tmp = p++;
+                        while (qemu_isspace(*p)) {
+                            p++;
+                        }
+                        ret = get_str(buf, sizeof(buf), &p);
+                        if (ret < 0) {
+                            monitor_printf(mon, "%s: value expected for -%c\n",
+                                           cmd->name, *tmp);
+                            goto fail;
+                        }
+                        qdict_put_str(qdict, key, buf);
                     } else {
-                        /* has option */
+                        /* has boolean option */
                         p++;
                         qdict_put_bool(qdict, key, true);
                     }
+                } else if (*typestr == 's') {
+                    typestr++;
                 }
             }
             break;
diff --git a/monitor/monitor-internal.h b/monitor/monitor-internal.h
index 3da3f86c6a..caa2e90ef2 100644
--- a/monitor/monitor-internal.h
+++ b/monitor/monitor-internal.h
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@
  * '.'          other form of optional type (for 'i' and 'l')
  * 'b'          boolean
  *              user mode accepts "on" or "off"
- * '-'          optional parameter (eg. '-f')
+ * '-'          optional parameter (eg. '-f'); if followed by a 's', it
+ *              specifies an optional string param (e.g. '-fs' allows '-f foo')
  *
  */