diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 9f2a7e19d3..763db24cd0 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2942,6 +2942,8 @@ echo "sysconfdir=$sysconfdir" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "docdir=$docdir" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "confdir=$confdir" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "libexecdir=\${prefix}/libexec" >> $config_host_mak
+echo "CONFIG_QEMU_SHAREDIR=\"$prefix$datasuffix\"" >> $config_host_mak
+echo "CONFIG_QEMU_HELPERDIR=\"$prefix/libexec\"" >> $config_host_mak
 
 echo "ARCH=$ARCH" >> $config_host_mak
 if test "$debug_tcg" = "yes" ; then
diff --git a/net.c b/net.c
index 2b0f766408..1944539050 100644
--- a/net.c
+++ b/net.c
@@ -951,6 +951,10 @@ static const struct {
                 .name = "downscript",
                 .type = QEMU_OPT_STRING,
                 .help = "script to shut down the interface",
+            }, {
+                .name = "helper",
+                .type = QEMU_OPT_STRING,
+                .help = "command to execute to configure bridge",
             }, {
                 .name = "sndbuf",
                 .type = QEMU_OPT_SIZE,
@@ -1053,6 +1057,23 @@ static const struct {
             { /* end of list */ }
         },
     },
+    [NET_CLIENT_TYPE_BRIDGE] = {
+        .type = "bridge",
+        .init = net_init_bridge,
+        .desc = {
+            NET_COMMON_PARAMS_DESC,
+            {
+                .name = "br",
+                .type = QEMU_OPT_STRING,
+                .help = "bridge name",
+            }, {
+                .name = "helper",
+                .type = QEMU_OPT_STRING,
+                .help = "command to execute to configure bridge",
+            },
+            { /* end of list */ }
+        },
+    },
 };
 
 int net_client_init(Monitor *mon, QemuOpts *opts, int is_netdev)
@@ -1075,7 +1096,8 @@ int net_client_init(Monitor *mon, QemuOpts *opts, int is_netdev)
 #ifdef CONFIG_VDE
             strcmp(type, "vde") != 0 &&
 #endif
-            strcmp(type, "socket") != 0) {
+            strcmp(type, "socket") != 0 &&
+            strcmp(type, "bridge") != 0) {
             qerror_report(QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE, "type",
                           "a netdev backend type");
             return -1;
@@ -1145,6 +1167,7 @@ static int net_host_check_device(const char *device)
 #ifdef CONFIG_VDE
                                        ,"vde"
 #endif
+                                       , "bridge"
     };
     for (i = 0; i < sizeof(valid_param_list) / sizeof(char *); i++) {
         if (!strncmp(valid_param_list[i], device,
diff --git a/net.h b/net.h
index eab089d577..75a8c155e5 100644
--- a/net.h
+++ b/net.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ typedef enum {
     NET_CLIENT_TYPE_SOCKET,
     NET_CLIENT_TYPE_VDE,
     NET_CLIENT_TYPE_DUMP,
+    NET_CLIENT_TYPE_BRIDGE,
 
     NET_CLIENT_TYPE_MAX
 } net_client_type;
@@ -174,6 +175,8 @@ int do_netdev_del(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data);
 
 #define DEFAULT_NETWORK_SCRIPT "/etc/qemu-ifup"
 #define DEFAULT_NETWORK_DOWN_SCRIPT "/etc/qemu-ifdown"
+#define DEFAULT_BRIDGE_HELPER CONFIG_QEMU_HELPERDIR "/qemu-bridge-helper"
+#define DEFAULT_BRIDGE_INTERFACE "br0"
 
 void qdev_set_nic_properties(DeviceState *dev, NICInfo *nd);
 
diff --git a/net/tap.c b/net/tap.c
index 6c27a9427f..f2400283c3 100644
--- a/net/tap.c
+++ b/net/tap.c
@@ -382,6 +382,171 @@ static int launch_script(const char *setup_script, const char *ifname, int fd)
     return -1;
 }
 
+static int recv_fd(int c)
+{
+    int fd;
+    uint8_t msgbuf[CMSG_SPACE(sizeof(fd))];
+    struct msghdr msg = {
+        .msg_control = msgbuf,
+        .msg_controllen = sizeof(msgbuf),
+    };
+    struct cmsghdr *cmsg;
+    struct iovec iov;
+    uint8_t req[1];
+    ssize_t len;
+
+    cmsg = CMSG_FIRSTHDR(&msg);
+    cmsg->cmsg_level = SOL_SOCKET;
+    cmsg->cmsg_type = SCM_RIGHTS;
+    cmsg->cmsg_len = CMSG_LEN(sizeof(fd));
+    msg.msg_controllen = cmsg->cmsg_len;
+
+    iov.iov_base = req;
+    iov.iov_len = sizeof(req);
+
+    msg.msg_iov = &iov;
+    msg.msg_iovlen = 1;
+
+    len = recvmsg(c, &msg, 0);
+    if (len > 0) {
+        memcpy(&fd, CMSG_DATA(cmsg), sizeof(fd));
+        return fd;
+    }
+
+    return len;
+}
+
+static int net_bridge_run_helper(const char *helper, const char *bridge)
+{
+    sigset_t oldmask, mask;
+    int pid, status;
+    char *args[5];
+    char **parg;
+    int sv[2];
+
+    sigemptyset(&mask);
+    sigaddset(&mask, SIGCHLD);
+    sigprocmask(SIG_BLOCK, &mask, &oldmask);
+
+    if (socketpair(PF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0, sv) == -1) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    /* try to launch bridge helper */
+    pid = fork();
+    if (pid == 0) {
+        int open_max = sysconf(_SC_OPEN_MAX), i;
+        char fd_buf[6+10];
+        char br_buf[6+IFNAMSIZ] = {0};
+        char helper_cmd[PATH_MAX + sizeof(fd_buf) + sizeof(br_buf) + 15];
+
+        for (i = 0; i < open_max; i++) {
+            if (i != STDIN_FILENO &&
+                i != STDOUT_FILENO &&
+                i != STDERR_FILENO &&
+                i != sv[1]) {
+                close(i);
+            }
+        }
+
+        snprintf(fd_buf, sizeof(fd_buf), "%s%d", "--fd=", sv[1]);
+
+        if (strrchr(helper, ' ') || strrchr(helper, '\t')) {
+            /* assume helper is a command */
+
+            if (strstr(helper, "--br=") == NULL) {
+                snprintf(br_buf, sizeof(br_buf), "%s%s", "--br=", bridge);
+            }
+
+            snprintf(helper_cmd, sizeof(helper_cmd), "%s %s %s %s",
+                     helper, "--use-vnet", fd_buf, br_buf);
+
+            parg = args;
+            *parg++ = (char *)"sh";
+            *parg++ = (char *)"-c";
+            *parg++ = helper_cmd;
+            *parg++ = NULL;
+
+            execv("/bin/sh", args);
+        } else {
+            /* assume helper is just the executable path name */
+
+            snprintf(br_buf, sizeof(br_buf), "%s%s", "--br=", bridge);
+
+            parg = args;
+            *parg++ = (char *)helper;
+            *parg++ = (char *)"--use-vnet";
+            *parg++ = fd_buf;
+            *parg++ = br_buf;
+            *parg++ = NULL;
+
+            execv(helper, args);
+        }
+        _exit(1);
+
+    } else if (pid > 0) {
+        int fd;
+
+        close(sv[1]);
+
+        do {
+            fd = recv_fd(sv[0]);
+        } while (fd == -1 && errno == EINTR);
+
+        close(sv[0]);
+
+        while (waitpid(pid, &status, 0) != pid) {
+            /* loop */
+        }
+        sigprocmask(SIG_SETMASK, &oldmask, NULL);
+        if (fd < 0) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "failed to recv file descriptor\n");
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        if (WIFEXITED(status) && WEXITSTATUS(status) == 0) {
+            return fd;
+        }
+    }
+    fprintf(stderr, "failed to launch bridge helper\n");
+    return -1;
+}
+
+int net_init_bridge(QemuOpts *opts, Monitor *mon, const char *name,
+                    VLANState *vlan)
+{
+    TAPState *s;
+    int fd, vnet_hdr;
+
+    if (!qemu_opt_get(opts, "br")) {
+        qemu_opt_set(opts, "br", DEFAULT_BRIDGE_INTERFACE);
+    }
+    if (!qemu_opt_get(opts, "helper")) {
+        qemu_opt_set(opts, "helper", DEFAULT_BRIDGE_HELPER);
+    }
+
+    fd = net_bridge_run_helper(qemu_opt_get(opts, "helper"),
+                               qemu_opt_get(opts, "br"));
+    if (fd == -1) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
+
+    vnet_hdr = tap_probe_vnet_hdr(fd);
+
+    s = net_tap_fd_init(vlan, "bridge", name, fd, vnet_hdr);
+    if (!s) {
+        close(fd);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    snprintf(s->nc.info_str, sizeof(s->nc.info_str), "helper=%s,br=%s",
+             qemu_opt_get(opts, "helper"), qemu_opt_get(opts, "br"));
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static int net_tap_init(QemuOpts *opts, int *vnet_hdr)
 {
     int fd, vnet_hdr_required;
@@ -422,13 +587,16 @@ int net_init_tap(QemuOpts *opts, Monitor *mon, const char *name, VLANState *vlan
 {
     TAPState *s;
     int fd, vnet_hdr = 0;
+    const char *model;
 
     if (qemu_opt_get(opts, "fd")) {
         if (qemu_opt_get(opts, "ifname") ||
             qemu_opt_get(opts, "script") ||
             qemu_opt_get(opts, "downscript") ||
-            qemu_opt_get(opts, "vnet_hdr")) {
-            error_report("ifname=, script=, downscript= and vnet_hdr= is invalid with fd=");
+            qemu_opt_get(opts, "vnet_hdr") ||
+            qemu_opt_get(opts, "helper")) {
+            error_report("ifname=, script=, downscript=, vnet_hdr=, "
+                         "and helper= are invalid with fd=");
             return -1;
         }
 
@@ -440,6 +608,31 @@ int net_init_tap(QemuOpts *opts, Monitor *mon, const char *name, VLANState *vlan
         fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
 
         vnet_hdr = tap_probe_vnet_hdr(fd);
+
+        model = "tap";
+
+    } else if (qemu_opt_get(opts, "helper")) {
+        if (qemu_opt_get(opts, "ifname") ||
+            qemu_opt_get(opts, "script") ||
+            qemu_opt_get(opts, "downscript") ||
+            qemu_opt_get(opts, "vnet_hdr")) {
+            error_report("ifname=, script=, downscript=, and vnet_hdr= "
+                         "are invalid with helper=");
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        fd = net_bridge_run_helper(qemu_opt_get(opts, "helper"),
+                                   DEFAULT_BRIDGE_INTERFACE);
+        if (fd == -1) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        fcntl(fd, F_SETFL, O_NONBLOCK);
+
+        vnet_hdr = tap_probe_vnet_hdr(fd);
+
+        model = "bridge";
+
     } else {
         if (!qemu_opt_get(opts, "script")) {
             qemu_opt_set(opts, "script", DEFAULT_NETWORK_SCRIPT);
@@ -453,9 +646,11 @@ int net_init_tap(QemuOpts *opts, Monitor *mon, const char *name, VLANState *vlan
         if (fd == -1) {
             return -1;
         }
+
+        model = "tap";
     }
 
-    s = net_tap_fd_init(vlan, "tap", name, fd, vnet_hdr);
+    s = net_tap_fd_init(vlan, model, name, fd, vnet_hdr);
     if (!s) {
         close(fd);
         return -1;
@@ -467,6 +662,9 @@ int net_init_tap(QemuOpts *opts, Monitor *mon, const char *name, VLANState *vlan
 
     if (qemu_opt_get(opts, "fd")) {
         snprintf(s->nc.info_str, sizeof(s->nc.info_str), "fd=%d", fd);
+    } else if (qemu_opt_get(opts, "helper")) {
+        snprintf(s->nc.info_str, sizeof(s->nc.info_str),
+                 "helper=%s", qemu_opt_get(opts, "helper"));
     } else {
         const char *ifname, *script, *downscript;
 
diff --git a/net/tap.h b/net/tap.h
index e44bd2bc5f..56c591fc8e 100644
--- a/net/tap.h
+++ b/net/tap.h
@@ -57,4 +57,7 @@ int tap_get_fd(VLANClientState *vc);
 struct vhost_net;
 struct vhost_net *tap_get_vhost_net(VLANClientState *vc);
 
+int net_init_bridge(QemuOpts *opts, Monitor *mon, const char *name,
+                    VLANState *vlan);
+
 #endif /* QEMU_NET_TAP_H */
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index 3a07ae8231..19906e57e1 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -1222,11 +1222,14 @@ DEF("net", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_net,
     "-net tap[,vlan=n][,name=str],ifname=name\n"
     "                connect the host TAP network interface to VLAN 'n'\n"
 #else
-    "-net tap[,vlan=n][,name=str][,fd=h][,ifname=name][,script=file][,downscript=dfile][,sndbuf=nbytes][,vnet_hdr=on|off][,vhost=on|off][,vhostfd=h][,vhostforce=on|off]\n"
-    "                connect the host TAP network interface to VLAN 'n' and use the\n"
-    "                network scripts 'file' (default=" DEFAULT_NETWORK_SCRIPT ")\n"
-    "                and 'dfile' (default=" DEFAULT_NETWORK_DOWN_SCRIPT ")\n"
+    "-net tap[,vlan=n][,name=str][,fd=h][,ifname=name][,script=file][,downscript=dfile][,helper=helper][,sndbuf=nbytes][,vnet_hdr=on|off][,vhost=on|off][,vhostfd=h][,vhostforce=on|off]\n"
+    "                connect the host TAP network interface to VLAN 'n' \n"
+    "                use network scripts 'file' (default=" DEFAULT_NETWORK_SCRIPT ")\n"
+    "                to configure it and 'dfile' (default=" DEFAULT_NETWORK_DOWN_SCRIPT ")\n"
+    "                to deconfigure it\n"
     "                use '[down]script=no' to disable script execution\n"
+    "                use network helper 'helper' (default=" DEFAULT_BRIDGE_HELPER ") to\n"
+    "                configure it\n"
     "                use 'fd=h' to connect to an already opened TAP interface\n"
     "                use 'sndbuf=nbytes' to limit the size of the send buffer (the\n"
     "                default is disabled 'sndbuf=0' to enable flow control set 'sndbuf=1048576')\n"
@@ -1236,6 +1239,10 @@ DEF("net", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_net,
     "                    (only has effect for virtio guests which use MSIX)\n"
     "                use vhostforce=on to force vhost on for non-MSIX virtio guests\n"
     "                use 'vhostfd=h' to connect to an already opened vhost net device\n"
+    "-net bridge[,vlan=n][,name=str][,br=bridge][,helper=helper]\n"
+    "                connects a host TAP network interface to a host bridge device 'br'\n"
+    "                (default=" DEFAULT_BRIDGE_INTERFACE ") using the program 'helper'\n"
+    "                (default=" DEFAULT_BRIDGE_HELPER ")\n"
 #endif
     "-net socket[,vlan=n][,name=str][,fd=h][,listen=[host]:port][,connect=host:port]\n"
     "                connect the vlan 'n' to another VLAN using a socket connection\n"
@@ -1261,6 +1268,7 @@ DEF("netdev", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_netdev,
     "user|"
 #endif
     "tap|"
+    "bridge|"
 #ifdef CONFIG_VDE
     "vde|"
 #endif
@@ -1397,26 +1405,65 @@ processed and applied to -net user. Mixing them with the new configuration
 syntax gives undefined results. Their use for new applications is discouraged
 as they will be removed from future versions.
 
-@item -net tap[,vlan=@var{n}][,name=@var{name}][,fd=@var{h}][,ifname=@var{name}] [,script=@var{file}][,downscript=@var{dfile}]
-Connect the host TAP network interface @var{name} to VLAN @var{n}, use
-the network script @var{file} to configure it and the network script
+@item -net tap[,vlan=@var{n}][,name=@var{name}][,fd=@var{h}][,ifname=@var{name}][,script=@var{file}][,downscript=@var{dfile}][,helper=@var{helper}]
+Connect the host TAP network interface @var{name} to VLAN @var{n}.
+
+Use the network script @var{file} to configure it and the network script
 @var{dfile} to deconfigure it. If @var{name} is not provided, the OS
-automatically provides one. @option{fd}=@var{h} can be used to specify
-the handle of an already opened host TAP interface. The default network
-configure script is @file{/etc/qemu-ifup} and the default network
-deconfigure script is @file{/etc/qemu-ifdown}. Use @option{script=no}
-or @option{downscript=no} to disable script execution. Example:
+automatically provides one. The default network configure script is
+@file{/etc/qemu-ifup} and the default network deconfigure script is
+@file{/etc/qemu-ifdown}. Use @option{script=no} or @option{downscript=no}
+to disable script execution.
+
+If running QEMU as an unprivileged user, use the network helper
+@var{helper} to configure the TAP interface. The default network
+helper executable is @file{/usr/local/libexec/qemu-bridge-helper}.
+
+@option{fd}=@var{h} can be used to specify the handle of an already
+opened host TAP interface.
+
+Examples:
 
 @example
+#launch a QEMU instance with the default network script
 qemu linux.img -net nic -net tap
 @end example
 
-More complicated example (two NICs, each one connected to a TAP device)
 @example
+#launch a QEMU instance with two NICs, each one connected
+#to a TAP device
 qemu linux.img -net nic,vlan=0 -net tap,vlan=0,ifname=tap0 \
                -net nic,vlan=1 -net tap,vlan=1,ifname=tap1
 @end example
 
+@example
+#launch a QEMU instance with the default network helper to
+#connect a TAP device to bridge br0
+qemu linux.img -net nic -net tap,"helper=/usr/local/libexec/qemu-bridge-helper"
+@end example
+
+@item -net bridge[,vlan=@var{n}][,name=@var{name}][,br=@var{bridge}][,helper=@var{helper}]
+Connect a host TAP network interface to a host bridge device.
+
+Use the network helper @var{helper} to configure the TAP interface and
+attach it to the bridge. The default network helper executable is
+@file{/usr/local/libexec/qemu-bridge-helper} and the default bridge
+device is @file{br0}.
+
+Examples:
+
+@example
+#launch a QEMU instance with the default network helper to
+#connect a TAP device to bridge br0
+qemu linux.img -net bridge -net nic,model=virtio
+@end example
+
+@example
+#launch a QEMU instance with the default network helper to
+#connect a TAP device to bridge qemubr0
+qemu linux.img -net bridge,br=qemubr0 -net nic,model=virtio
+@end example
+
 @item -net socket[,vlan=@var{n}][,name=@var{name}][,fd=@var{h}] [,listen=[@var{host}]:@var{port}][,connect=@var{host}:@var{port}]
 
 Connect the VLAN @var{n} to a remote VLAN in another QEMU virtual