diff --git a/qapi/opts-visitor.c b/qapi/opts-visitor.c
index d8f9a0e96e..d54d373188 100644
--- a/qapi/opts-visitor.c
+++ b/qapi/opts-visitor.c
@@ -408,6 +408,7 @@ opts_type_uint64(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     const QemuOpt *opt;
     const char *str;
     unsigned long long val;
+    char *endptr;
 
     if (ov->list_mode == LM_UNSIGNED_INTERVAL) {
         *obj = ov->range_next.u;
@@ -420,13 +421,34 @@ opts_type_uint64(Visitor *v, uint64_t *obj, const char *name, Error **errp)
     }
     str = opt->str;
 
-    if (parse_uint_full(str, &val, 0) == 0 && val <= UINT64_MAX) {
-        *obj = val;
-        processed(ov, name);
-        return;
+    /* we've gotten past lookup_scalar() */
+    assert(ov->list_mode == LM_NONE || ov->list_mode == LM_IN_PROGRESS);
+
+    if (parse_uint(str, &val, &endptr, 0) == 0 && val <= UINT64_MAX) {
+        if (*endptr == '\0') {
+            *obj = val;
+            processed(ov, name);
+            return;
+        }
+        if (*endptr == '-' && ov->list_mode == LM_IN_PROGRESS) {
+            unsigned long long val2;
+
+            str = endptr + 1;
+            if (parse_uint_full(str, &val2, 0) == 0 &&
+                val2 <= UINT64_MAX && val <= val2) {
+                ov->range_next.u = val;
+                ov->range_limit.u = val2;
+                ov->list_mode = LM_UNSIGNED_INTERVAL;
+
+                /* as if entering on the top */
+                *obj = ov->range_next.u;
+                return;
+            }
+        }
     }
     error_set(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, opt->name,
-              "an uint64 value");
+              (ov->list_mode == LM_NONE) ? "a uint64 value" :
+                                           "a uint64 value or range");
 }