diff --git a/ui/spice-core.c b/ui/spice-core.c
index 4d384974ca..0632c74e9f 100644
--- a/ui/spice-core.c
+++ b/ui/spice-core.c
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ void qemu_spice_init(void)
 
     qemu_opt_foreach(opts, add_channel, &tls_port, &error_fatal);
 
-    spice_server_set_name(spice_server, qemu_name);
+    spice_server_set_name(spice_server, qemu_name ?: "QEMU " QEMU_VERSION);
     spice_server_set_uuid(spice_server, (unsigned char *)&qemu_uuid);
 
     seamless_migration = qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "seamless-migration", 0);