diff --git a/docs/qapi-code-gen.txt b/docs/qapi-code-gen.txt
index 5c2c278a60..70fdae77d1 100644
--- a/docs/qapi-code-gen.txt
+++ b/docs/qapi-code-gen.txt
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ The following types are predefined, and map to C as follows:
   size      uint64_t   like uint64_t, except StringInputVisitor
                        accepts size suffixes
   bool      bool       JSON true or false
+  any       QObject *  any JSON value
 
 
 === Includes ===
diff --git a/include/qapi/visitor-impl.h b/include/qapi/visitor-impl.h
index f4a2f746c8..8c0ba57292 100644
--- a/include/qapi/visitor-impl.h
+++ b/include/qapi/visitor-impl.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ struct Visitor
     void (*type_str)(Visitor *v, char **obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
     void (*type_number)(Visitor *v, double *obj, const char *name,
                         Error **errp);
+    void (*type_any)(Visitor *v, QObject **obj, const char *name,
+                     Error **errp);
 
     /* May be NULL */
     void (*optional)(Visitor *v, bool *present, const char *name,
diff --git a/include/qapi/visitor.h b/include/qapi/visitor.h
index 00ba104cd4..cfc19a616e 100644
--- a/include/qapi/visitor.h
+++ b/include/qapi/visitor.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ void visit_type_size(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
 void visit_type_bool(Visitor *v, bool *obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
 void visit_type_str(Visitor *v, char **obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
 void visit_type_number(Visitor *v, double *obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
+void visit_type_any(Visitor *v, QObject **obj, const char *name, Error **errp);
 bool visit_start_union(Visitor *v, bool data_present, Error **errp);
 void visit_end_union(Visitor *v, bool data_present, Error **errp);
 
diff --git a/qapi/qapi-dealloc-visitor.c b/qapi/qapi-dealloc-visitor.c
index d7f92c5d68..737deab9e5 100644
--- a/qapi/qapi-dealloc-visitor.c
+++ b/qapi/qapi-dealloc-visitor.c
@@ -151,6 +151,14 @@ static void qapi_dealloc_type_number(Visitor *v, double *obj, const char *name,
 {
 }
 
+static void qapi_dealloc_type_anything(Visitor *v, QObject **obj,
+                                       const char *name, Error **errp)
+{
+    if (obj) {
+        qobject_decref(*obj);
+    }
+}
+
 static void qapi_dealloc_type_size(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name,
                                    Error **errp)
 {
@@ -216,6 +224,7 @@ QapiDeallocVisitor *qapi_dealloc_visitor_new(void)
     v->visitor.type_bool = qapi_dealloc_type_bool;
     v->visitor.type_str = qapi_dealloc_type_str;
     v->visitor.type_number = qapi_dealloc_type_number;
+    v->visitor.type_any = qapi_dealloc_type_anything;
     v->visitor.type_size = qapi_dealloc_type_size;
     v->visitor.start_union = qapi_dealloc_start_union;
 
diff --git a/qapi/qapi-visit-core.c b/qapi/qapi-visit-core.c
index 5a7c900504..59ed5067fa 100644
--- a/qapi/qapi-visit-core.c
+++ b/qapi/qapi-visit-core.c
@@ -260,6 +260,12 @@ void visit_type_number(Visitor *v, double *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     v->type_number(v, obj, name, errp);
 }
 
+void visit_type_any(Visitor *v, QObject **obj, const char *name,
+                    Error **errp)
+{
+    v->type_any(v, obj, name, errp);
+}
+
 void output_type_enum(Visitor *v, int *obj, const char * const strings[],
                       const char *kind, const char *name,
                       Error **errp)
diff --git a/qapi/qmp-input-visitor.c b/qapi/qmp-input-visitor.c
index e97b8a4282..5dd9ed5ce5 100644
--- a/qapi/qmp-input-visitor.c
+++ b/qapi/qmp-input-visitor.c
@@ -286,6 +286,16 @@ static void qmp_input_type_number(Visitor *v, double *obj, const char *name,
     }
 }
 
+static void qmp_input_type_any(Visitor *v, QObject **obj, const char *name,
+                               Error **errp)
+{
+    QmpInputVisitor *qiv = to_qiv(v);
+    QObject *qobj = qmp_input_get_object(qiv, name, true);
+
+    qobject_incref(qobj);
+    *obj = qobj;
+}
+
 static void qmp_input_optional(Visitor *v, bool *present, const char *name,
                                Error **errp)
 {
@@ -329,6 +339,7 @@ QmpInputVisitor *qmp_input_visitor_new(QObject *obj)
     v->visitor.type_bool = qmp_input_type_bool;
     v->visitor.type_str = qmp_input_type_str;
     v->visitor.type_number = qmp_input_type_number;
+    v->visitor.type_any = qmp_input_type_any;
     v->visitor.optional = qmp_input_optional;
     v->visitor.get_next_type = qmp_input_get_next_type;
 
diff --git a/qapi/qmp-output-visitor.c b/qapi/qmp-output-visitor.c
index 8dce08749d..29899acd46 100644
--- a/qapi/qmp-output-visitor.c
+++ b/qapi/qmp-output-visitor.c
@@ -190,6 +190,14 @@ static void qmp_output_type_number(Visitor *v, double *obj, const char *name,
     qmp_output_add(qov, name, qfloat_from_double(*obj));
 }
 
+static void qmp_output_type_any(Visitor *v, QObject **obj, const char *name,
+                                Error **errp)
+{
+    QmpOutputVisitor *qov = to_qov(v);
+    qobject_incref(*obj);
+    qmp_output_add_obj(qov, name, *obj);
+}
+
 QObject *qmp_output_get_qobject(QmpOutputVisitor *qov)
 {
     QObject *obj = qmp_output_first(qov);
@@ -237,6 +245,7 @@ QmpOutputVisitor *qmp_output_visitor_new(void)
     v->visitor.type_bool = qmp_output_type_bool;
     v->visitor.type_str = qmp_output_type_str;
     v->visitor.type_number = qmp_output_type_number;
+    v->visitor.type_any = qmp_output_type_any;
 
     QTAILQ_INIT(&v->stack);
 
diff --git a/scripts/qapi-types.py b/scripts/qapi-types.py
index d1fee207e5..b292682df6 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi-types.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi-types.py
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ fdef.write(mcgen('''
 fdecl.write(mcgen('''
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include "qapi/qmp/qobject.h"
 '''))
 
 schema = QAPISchema(input_file)
diff --git a/scripts/qapi.py b/scripts/qapi.py
index 6b6f1aecdc..6a21bd6eba 100644
--- a/scripts/qapi.py
+++ b/scripts/qapi.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ builtin_types = {
     'uint32':   'QTYPE_QINT',
     'uint64':   'QTYPE_QINT',
     'size':     'QTYPE_QINT',
+    'any':      None,           # any qtype_code possible, actually
 }
 
 # Whitelist of commands allowed to return a non-dictionary
@@ -1102,8 +1103,7 @@ class QAPISchema(object):
     def _def_builtin_type(self, name, json_type, c_type, c_null):
         self._def_entity(QAPISchemaBuiltinType(name, json_type,
                                                c_type, c_null))
-        if name != '**':
-            self._make_array_type(name)         # TODO really needed?
+        self._make_array_type(name)     # TODO really needed?
 
     def _def_predefineds(self):
         for t in [('str',    'string',  'char' + pointer_suffix, 'NULL'),
@@ -1119,8 +1119,9 @@ class QAPISchema(object):
                   ('uint64', 'int',     'uint64_t', '0'),
                   ('size',   'int',     'uint64_t', '0'),
                   ('bool',   'boolean', 'bool',     'false'),
-                  ('**',     'value',   None,       None)]:
+                  ('any',    'value',   'QObject' + pointer_suffix, 'NULL')]:
             self._def_builtin_type(*t)
+        self._entity_dict['**'] = self.lookup_type('any') # TODO drop this alias
 
     def _make_implicit_enum_type(self, name, values):
         name = name + 'Kind'
@@ -1270,6 +1271,8 @@ class QAPISchema(object):
     def visit(self, visitor):
         visitor.visit_begin(self)
         for name in sorted(self._entity_dict.keys()):
+            if self._entity_dict[name].name != name:
+                continue        # ignore alias TODO drop alias and remove
             self._entity_dict[name].visit(visitor)
         visitor.visit_end()
 
diff --git a/tests/Makefile b/tests/Makefile
index 7c6025a2c5..10e55b36ee 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile
+++ b/tests/Makefile
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ check-qapi-schema-y := $(addprefix tests/qapi-schema/, \
 	args-array-empty.json args-array-unknown.json args-int.json \
 	args-unknown.json args-member-unknown.json args-member-array.json \
 	args-member-array-bad.json args-alternate.json args-union.json \
+	args-any.json \
 	returns-array-bad.json returns-int.json returns-dict.json \
 	returns-unknown.json returns-alternate.json returns-whitelist.json \
 	missing-colon.json missing-comma-list.json missing-comma-object.json \
@@ -255,7 +256,7 @@ check-qapi-schema-y := $(addprefix tests/qapi-schema/, \
 	flat-union-invalid-branch-key.json flat-union-reverse-define.json \
 	flat-union-string-discriminator.json union-base-no-discriminator.json \
 	flat-union-bad-discriminator.json flat-union-bad-base.json \
-	flat-union-base-star.json \
+	flat-union-base-any.json \
 	flat-union-array-branch.json flat-union-int-branch.json \
 	flat-union-base-union.json flat-union-branch-clash.json \
 	alternate-nested.json alternate-unknown.json alternate-clash.json \
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/args-any.err b/tests/qapi-schema/args-any.err
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bf9b5e0730
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/args-any.err
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+tests/qapi-schema/args-any.json:2: 'data' for command 'oops' cannot use built-in type 'any'
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.exit b/tests/qapi-schema/args-any.exit
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.exit
rename to tests/qapi-schema/args-any.exit
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/args-any.json b/tests/qapi-schema/args-any.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..58fe5e470e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/args-any.json
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# we do not allow an 'any' argument
+{ 'command': 'oops', 'data': 'any' }
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.out b/tests/qapi-schema/args-any.out
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.out
rename to tests/qapi-schema/args-any.out
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.err b/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.err
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ad4d629e75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.err
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.json:8: Base 'any' is not a valid struct
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.exit b/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.exit
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d00491fd7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.exit
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.json b/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.json
similarity index 95%
rename from tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.json
rename to tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.json
index 5099439a9d..fe66b713ef 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.json
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 { 'struct': 'TestTypeB',
   'data': { 'integer': 'int' } }
 { 'union': 'TestUnion',
-  'base': '**',
+  'base': 'any',
   'discriminator': 'enum1',
   'data': { 'value1': 'TestTypeA',
             'value2': 'TestTypeB' } }
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.out b/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-any.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.err b/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.err
deleted file mode 100644
index b7748f08bf..0000000000
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.err
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-tests/qapi-schema/flat-union-base-star.json:8: Base '**' is not a valid struct
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
index d48815764d..6897a6ea39 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.json
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@
             'number': ['number'],
             'boolean': ['bool'],
             'string': ['str'],
-            'sizes': ['size'] } }
+            'sizes': ['size'],
+            'any': ['any'] } }
 
 # testing commands
 { 'command': 'user_def_cmd', 'data': {} }
@@ -88,6 +89,8 @@
   'returns': 'UserDefTwo' }
 { 'command': 'user_def_cmd3', 'data': {'a': 'int', '*b': 'int' },
   'returns': 'int' }
+# note: command name 'guest-sync' chosen to avoid "cannot use built-in" error
+{ 'command': 'guest-sync', 'data': { 'arg': 'any' }, 'returns': 'any' }
 
 # For testing integer range flattening in opts-visitor. The following schema
 # corresponds to the option format:
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
index f90cf4636c..a52ac31ea5 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/qapi-schema-test.out
@@ -12,8 +12,12 @@ object :obj-__org.qemu_x-command-arg
     member b: __org.qemu_x-StructList optional=False
     member c: __org.qemu_x-Union2 optional=False
     member d: __org.qemu_x-Alt optional=False
+object :obj-anyList-wrapper
+    member data: anyList optional=False
 object :obj-boolList-wrapper
     member data: boolList optional=False
+object :obj-guest-sync-arg
+    member arg: any optional=False
 object :obj-int16List-wrapper
     member data: int16List optional=False
 object :obj-int32List-wrapper
@@ -102,7 +106,8 @@ object UserDefNativeListUnion
     case boolean: :obj-boolList-wrapper
     case string: :obj-strList-wrapper
     case sizes: :obj-sizeList-wrapper
-enum UserDefNativeListUnionKind ['integer', 's8', 's16', 's32', 's64', 'u8', 'u16', 'u32', 'u64', 'number', 'boolean', 'string', 'sizes']
+    case any: :obj-anyList-wrapper
+enum UserDefNativeListUnionKind ['integer', 's8', 's16', 's32', 's64', 'u8', 'u16', 'u32', 'u64', 'number', 'boolean', 'string', 'sizes', 'any']
 object UserDefOne
     base UserDefZero
     member string: str optional=False
@@ -151,6 +156,8 @@ object __org.qemu_x-Union2
     case __org.qemu_x-value: __org.qemu_x-Struct2
 command __org.qemu_x-command :obj-__org.qemu_x-command-arg -> __org.qemu_x-Union1
    gen=True success_response=True
+command guest-sync :obj-guest-sync-arg -> any
+   gen=True success_response=True
 command user_def_cmd None -> None
    gen=True success_response=True
 command user_def_cmd1 :obj-user_def_cmd1-arg -> None
diff --git a/tests/qapi-schema/type-bypass.out b/tests/qapi-schema/type-bypass.out
index 0070d4b845..db2a4e6d84 100644
--- a/tests/qapi-schema/type-bypass.out
+++ b/tests/qapi-schema/type-bypass.out
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 object :obj-unsafe-arg
-    member arg: ** optional=False
-command unsafe :obj-unsafe-arg -> **
+    member arg: any optional=False
+command unsafe :obj-unsafe-arg -> any
    gen=False success_response=True
diff --git a/tests/test-qmp-commands.c b/tests/test-qmp-commands.c
index 9918f23062..8d5249e7e4 100644
--- a/tests/test-qmp-commands.c
+++ b/tests/test-qmp-commands.c
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ int64_t qmp_user_def_cmd3(int64_t a, bool has_b, int64_t b, Error **errp)
     return a + (has_b ? b : 0);
 }
 
+QObject *qmp_guest_sync(QObject *arg, Error **errp)
+{
+    return arg;
+}
+
 __org_qemu_x_Union1 *qmp___org_qemu_x_command(__org_qemu_x_EnumList *a,
                                               __org_qemu_x_StructList *b,
                                               __org_qemu_x_Union2 *c,
diff --git a/tests/test-qmp-input-visitor.c b/tests/test-qmp-input-visitor.c
index 508c11a85b..61715b3725 100644
--- a/tests/test-qmp-input-visitor.c
+++ b/tests/test-qmp-input-visitor.c
@@ -298,6 +298,49 @@ static void test_visitor_in_list(TestInputVisitorData *data,
     qapi_free_UserDefOneList(head);
 }
 
+static void test_visitor_in_any(TestInputVisitorData *data,
+                                const void *unused)
+{
+    QObject *res = NULL;
+    Error *err = NULL;
+    Visitor *v;
+    QInt *qint;
+    QBool *qbool;
+    QString *qstring;
+    QDict *qdict;
+    QObject *qobj;
+
+    v = visitor_input_test_init(data, "-42");
+    visit_type_any(v, &res, NULL, &err);
+    g_assert(!err);
+    qint = qobject_to_qint(res);
+    g_assert(qint);
+    g_assert_cmpint(qint_get_int(qint), ==, -42);
+    qobject_decref(res);
+
+    v = visitor_input_test_init(data, "{ 'integer': -42, 'boolean': true, 'string': 'foo' }");
+    visit_type_any(v, &res, NULL, &err);
+    g_assert(!err);
+    qdict = qobject_to_qdict(res);
+    g_assert(qdict && qdict_size(qdict) == 3);
+    qobj = qdict_get(qdict, "integer");
+    g_assert(qobj);
+    qint = qobject_to_qint(qobj);
+    g_assert(qint);
+    g_assert_cmpint(qint_get_int(qint), ==, -42);
+    qobj = qdict_get(qdict, "boolean");
+    g_assert(qobj);
+    qbool = qobject_to_qbool(qobj);
+    g_assert(qbool);
+    g_assert(qbool_get_bool(qbool) == true);
+    qobj = qdict_get(qdict, "string");
+    g_assert(qobj);
+    qstring = qobject_to_qstring(qobj);
+    g_assert(qstring);
+    g_assert_cmpstr(qstring_get_str(qstring), ==, "foo");
+    qobject_decref(res);
+}
+
 static void test_visitor_in_union_flat(TestInputVisitorData *data,
                                        const void *unused)
 {
@@ -669,6 +712,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                            &in_visitor_data, test_visitor_in_struct_nested);
     input_visitor_test_add("/visitor/input/list",
                            &in_visitor_data, test_visitor_in_list);
+    input_visitor_test_add("/visitor/input/any",
+                           &in_visitor_data, test_visitor_in_any);
     input_visitor_test_add("/visitor/input/union-flat",
                            &in_visitor_data, test_visitor_in_union_flat);
     input_visitor_test_add("/visitor/input/alternate",
diff --git a/tests/test-qmp-output-visitor.c b/tests/test-qmp-output-visitor.c
index a48ae72452..c84002e2f2 100644
--- a/tests/test-qmp-output-visitor.c
+++ b/tests/test-qmp-output-visitor.c
@@ -428,6 +428,57 @@ static void test_visitor_out_list_qapi_free(TestOutputVisitorData *data,
     qapi_free_UserDefTwoList(head);
 }
 
+static void test_visitor_out_any(TestOutputVisitorData *data,
+                                 const void *unused)
+{
+    QObject *qobj;
+    Error *err = NULL;
+    QInt *qint;
+    QBool *qbool;
+    QString *qstring;
+    QDict *qdict;
+    QObject *obj;
+
+    qobj = QOBJECT(qint_from_int(-42));
+    visit_type_any(data->ov, &qobj, NULL, &err);
+    g_assert(!err);
+    obj = qmp_output_get_qobject(data->qov);
+    g_assert(obj != NULL);
+    g_assert(qobject_type(obj) == QTYPE_QINT);
+    g_assert_cmpint(qint_get_int(qobject_to_qint(obj)), ==, -42);
+    qobject_decref(obj);
+    qobject_decref(qobj);
+
+    qdict = qdict_new();
+    qdict_put(qdict, "integer", qint_from_int(-42));
+    qdict_put(qdict, "boolean", qbool_from_bool(true));
+    qdict_put(qdict, "string", qstring_from_str("foo"));
+    qobj = QOBJECT(qdict);
+    visit_type_any(data->ov, &qobj, NULL, &err);
+    g_assert(!err);
+    obj = qmp_output_get_qobject(data->qov);
+    g_assert(obj != NULL);
+    qdict = qobject_to_qdict(obj);
+    g_assert(qdict);
+    qobj = qdict_get(qdict, "integer");
+    g_assert(qobj);
+    qint = qobject_to_qint(qobj);
+    g_assert(qint);
+    g_assert_cmpint(qint_get_int(qint), ==, -42);
+    qobj = qdict_get(qdict, "boolean");
+    g_assert(qobj);
+    qbool = qobject_to_qbool(qobj);
+    g_assert(qbool);
+    g_assert(qbool_get_bool(qbool) == true);
+    qobj = qdict_get(qdict, "string");
+    g_assert(qobj);
+    qstring = qobject_to_qstring(qobj);
+    g_assert(qstring);
+    g_assert_cmpstr(qstring_get_str(qstring), ==, "foo");
+    qobject_decref(obj);
+    qobject_decref(qobj);
+}
+
 static void test_visitor_out_union_flat(TestOutputVisitorData *data,
                                         const void *unused)
 {
@@ -833,6 +884,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                             &out_visitor_data, test_visitor_out_struct_errors);
     output_visitor_test_add("/visitor/output/list",
                             &out_visitor_data, test_visitor_out_list);
+    output_visitor_test_add("/visitor/output/any",
+                            &out_visitor_data, test_visitor_out_any);
     output_visitor_test_add("/visitor/output/list-qapi-free",
                             &out_visitor_data, test_visitor_out_list_qapi_free);
     output_visitor_test_add("/visitor/output/union-flat",