diff --git a/spice-qemu-char.c b/spice-qemu-char.c
index 665efd30ee..b86e83ab8c 100644
--- a/spice-qemu-char.c
+++ b/spice-qemu-char.c
@@ -186,13 +186,32 @@ static void print_allowed_subtypes(void)
     fprintf(stderr, "\n");
 }
 
-CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_spice(QemuOpts *opts)
+static CharDriverState *chr_open(QemuOpts *opts, const char *subtype)
 {
     CharDriverState *chr;
     SpiceCharDriver *s;
-    const char* name = qemu_opt_get(opts, "name");
     uint32_t debug = qemu_opt_get_number(opts, "debug", 0);
-    const char** psubtype = spice_server_char_device_recognized_subtypes();
+
+    chr = g_malloc0(sizeof(CharDriverState));
+    s = g_malloc0(sizeof(SpiceCharDriver));
+    s->chr = chr;
+    s->debug = debug;
+    s->active = false;
+    s->sin.subtype = subtype;
+    chr->opaque = s;
+    chr->chr_write = spice_chr_write;
+    chr->chr_close = spice_chr_close;
+    chr->chr_guest_open = spice_chr_guest_open;
+    chr->chr_guest_close = spice_chr_guest_close;
+
+    return chr;
+}
+
+CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_spice(QemuOpts *opts)
+{
+    CharDriverState *chr;
+    const char *name = qemu_opt_get(opts, "name");
+    const char **psubtype = spice_server_char_device_recognized_subtypes();
     const char *subtype = NULL;
 
     if (name == NULL) {
@@ -212,17 +231,7 @@ CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_spice(QemuOpts *opts)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    chr = g_malloc0(sizeof(CharDriverState));
-    s = g_malloc0(sizeof(SpiceCharDriver));
-    s->chr = chr;
-    s->debug = debug;
-    s->active = false;
-    s->sin.subtype = subtype;
-    chr->opaque = s;
-    chr->chr_write = spice_chr_write;
-    chr->chr_close = spice_chr_close;
-    chr->chr_guest_open = spice_chr_guest_open;
-    chr->chr_guest_close = spice_chr_guest_close;
+    chr = chr_open(opts, subtype);
 
 #if SPICE_SERVER_VERSION < 0x000901
     /* See comment in vmc_state() */