diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index c40ea1efca..f551775152 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ STEXI
 Display help and exit
 ETEXI
 
+DEF("version", 0, QEMU_OPTION_version,
+    "-version        display version information and exit\n")
+STEXI
+@item -version
+Display version information and exit
+ETEXI
+
 DEF("M", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_M,
     "-M machine      select emulated machine (-M ? for list)\n")
 STEXI
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 4bd173f689..e444f9c2c6 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3940,10 +3940,15 @@ static int main_loop(void)
     return ret;
 }
 
+static void version(void)
+{
+    printf("QEMU PC emulator version " QEMU_VERSION ", Copyright (c) 2003-2008 Fabrice Bellard\n");
+}
+
 static void help(int exitcode)
 {
-    printf("QEMU PC emulator version " QEMU_VERSION ", Copyright (c) 2003-2008 Fabrice Bellard\n"
-           "usage: %s [options] [disk_image]\n"
+    version();
+    printf("usage: %s [options] [disk_image]\n"
            "\n"
            "'disk_image' is a raw hard image image for IDE hard disk 0\n"
            "\n"
@@ -4598,6 +4603,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
             case QEMU_OPTION_h:
                 help(0);
                 break;
+            case QEMU_OPTION_version:
+                version();
+                exit(0);
+                break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_m: {
                 uint64_t value;
                 char *ptr;