diff --git a/chardev/char-socket.c b/chardev/char-socket.c
index 06a37c0cc8..c8bced76b7 100644
--- a/chardev/char-socket.c
+++ b/chardev/char-socket.c
@@ -1472,8 +1472,17 @@ static void qemu_chr_parse_socket(QemuOpts *opts, ChardevBackend *backend,
     sock = backend->u.socket.data = g_new0(ChardevSocket, 1);
     qemu_chr_parse_common(opts, qapi_ChardevSocket_base(sock));
 
-    sock->has_nodelay = qemu_opt_get(opts, "delay");
-    sock->nodelay = !qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "delay", true);
+    if (qemu_opt_get(opts, "delay") && qemu_opt_get(opts, "nodelay")) {
+        error_setg(errp, "'delay' and 'nodelay' are mutually exclusive");
+        return;
+    }
+    sock->has_nodelay =
+        qemu_opt_get(opts, "delay") ||
+        qemu_opt_get(opts, "nodelay");
+    sock->nodelay =
+        !qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "delay", true) ||
+        qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "nodelay", false);
+
     /*
      * We have different default to QMP for 'server', hence
      * we can't just check for existence of 'server'
diff --git a/chardev/char.c b/chardev/char.c
index 288efebd12..97cafd6849 100644
--- a/chardev/char.c
+++ b/chardev/char.c
@@ -867,6 +867,9 @@ QemuOptsList qemu_chardev_opts = {
         },{
             .name = "delay",
             .type = QEMU_OPT_BOOL,
+        },{
+            .name = "nodelay",
+            .type = QEMU_OPT_BOOL,
         },{
             .name = "reconnect",
             .type = QEMU_OPT_NUMBER,
diff --git a/gdbstub.c b/gdbstub.c
index 3ee40479b6..16d7c8f534 100644
--- a/gdbstub.c
+++ b/gdbstub.c
@@ -3505,7 +3505,7 @@ int gdbserver_start(const char *device)
         if (strstart(device, "tcp:", NULL)) {
             /* enforce required TCP attributes */
             snprintf(gdbstub_device_name, sizeof(gdbstub_device_name),
-                     "%s,wait=off,delay=off,server=on", device);
+                     "%s,wait=off,nodelay=on,server=on", device);
             device = gdbstub_device_name;
         }
 #ifndef _WIN32
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index 252db9357c..90801286c6 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -3033,7 +3033,7 @@ DEFHEADING(Character device options:)
 DEF("chardev", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_chardev,
     "-chardev help\n"
     "-chardev null,id=id[,mux=on|off][,logfile=PATH][,logappend=on|off]\n"
-    "-chardev socket,id=id[,host=host],port=port[,to=to][,ipv4=on|off][,ipv6=on|off][,delay=on|off][,reconnect=seconds]\n"
+    "-chardev socket,id=id[,host=host],port=port[,to=to][,ipv4=on|off][,ipv6=on|off][,nodelay=on|off][,reconnect=seconds]\n"
     "         [,server=on|off][,wait=on|off][,telnet=on|off][,websocket=on|off][,reconnect=seconds][,mux=on|off]\n"
     "         [,logfile=PATH][,logappend=on|off][,tls-creds=ID][,tls-authz=ID] (tcp)\n"
     "-chardev socket,id=id,path=path[,server=on|off][,wait=on|off][,telnet=on|off][,websocket=on|off][,reconnect=seconds]\n"
@@ -3184,7 +3184,7 @@ The available backends are:
 
     TCP and unix socket options are given below:
 
-    ``TCP options: port=port[,host=host][,to=to][,ipv4=on|off][,ipv6=on|off][,delay=on|off]``
+    ``TCP options: port=port[,host=host][,to=to][,ipv4=on|off][,ipv6=on|off][,nodelay=on|off]``
         ``host`` for a listening socket specifies the local address to
         be bound. For a connecting socket species the remote host to
         connect to. ``host`` is optional for listening sockets. If not
@@ -3204,7 +3204,7 @@ The available backends are:
         or IPv6 must be used. If neither is specified the socket may
         use either protocol.
 
-        ``delay=on|off`` disables the Nagle algorithm.
+        ``nodelay=on|off`` disables the Nagle algorithm.
 
     ``unix options: path=path[,abstract=on|off][,tight=on|off]``
         ``path`` specifies the local path of the unix socket. ``path``
@@ -3593,13 +3593,13 @@ SRST
         ``telnet options:``
             localhost 5555
 
-    ``tcp:[host]:port[,server=on|off][,wait=on|off][,delay=on|off][,reconnect=seconds]``
+    ``tcp:[host]:port[,server=on|off][,wait=on|off][,nodelay=on|off][,reconnect=seconds]``
         The TCP Net Console has two modes of operation. It can send the
         serial I/O to a location or wait for a connection from a
         location. By default the TCP Net Console is sent to host at the
         port. If you use the ``server=on`` option QEMU will wait for a client
         socket application to connect to the port before continuing,
-        unless the ``wait=on|off`` option was specified. The ``delay=on|off``
+        unless the ``wait=on|off`` option was specified. The ``nodelay=on|off``
         option disables the Nagle buffering algorithm. The ``reconnect=on``
         option only applies if ``server=no`` is set, if the connection goes
         down it will attempt to reconnect at the given interval. If host
@@ -3616,7 +3616,7 @@ SRST
         ``Example to not wait and listen on ip 192.168.0.100 port 4444``
             -serial tcp:192.168.0.100:4444,server=on,wait=off
 
-    ``telnet:host:port[,server=on|off][,wait=on|off][,delay=on|off]``
+    ``telnet:host:port[,server=on|off][,wait=on|off][,nodelay=on|off]``
         The telnet protocol is used instead of raw tcp sockets. The
         options work the same as if you had specified ``-serial tcp``.
         The difference is that the port acts like a telnet server or
@@ -3626,7 +3626,7 @@ SRST
         you do it with Control-] and then type "send break" followed by
         pressing the enter key.
 
-    ``websocket:host:port,server=on[,wait=on|off][,delay=on|off]``
+    ``websocket:host:port,server=on[,wait=on|off][,nodelay=on|off]``
         The WebSocket protocol is used instead of raw tcp socket. The
         port acts as a WebSocket server. Client mode is not supported.