diff --git a/include/migration/vmstate.h b/include/migration/vmstate.h
index e7e170561d..de970abedd 100644
--- a/include/migration/vmstate.h
+++ b/include/migration/vmstate.h
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ enum VMStateFlags {
     VMS_MULTIPLY         = 0x200,  /* multiply "size" field by field_size */
     VMS_VARRAY_UINT8     = 0x400,  /* Array with size in uint8_t field*/
     VMS_VARRAY_UINT32    = 0x800,  /* Array with size in uint32_t field*/
+    VMS_MUST_EXIST       = 0x1000, /* Field must exist in input */
 };
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/vmstate.c b/vmstate.c
index dd6f834331..f019228188 100644
--- a/vmstate.c
+++ b/vmstate.c
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ int vmstate_load_state(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
                     return ret;
                 }
             }
+        } else if (field->flags & VMS_MUST_EXIST) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "Input validation failed: %s/%s\n",
+                    vmsd->name, field->name);
+            return -1;
         }
         field++;
     }
@@ -142,6 +146,12 @@ void vmstate_save_state(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
                     field->info->put(f, addr, size);
                 }
             }
+        } else {
+            if (field->flags & VMS_MUST_EXIST) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "Output state validation failed: %s/%s\n",
+                        vmsd->name, field->name);
+                assert(!(field->flags & VMS_MUST_EXIST));
+            }
         }
         field++;
     }