diff --git a/net/stream.c b/net/stream.c
index 9204b4c96e..0defb21d45 100644
--- a/net/stream.c
+++ b/net/stream.c
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ static gboolean net_stream_send(QIOChannel *ioc,
 
         net_socket_rs_init(&s->rs, net_stream_rs_finalize, false);
         s->nc.link_down = true;
-        qemu_set_info_str(&s->nc, "%s", "");
+        qemu_set_info_str(&s->nc, "listening");
 
         qapi_event_send_netdev_stream_disconnected(s->nc.name);
         net_stream_arm_reconnect(s);
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ static void net_stream_server_listening(QIOTask *task, gpointer opaque)
     s->nc.link_down = true;
     s->listener = qio_net_listener_new();
 
+    qemu_set_info_str(&s->nc, "listening");
     net_socket_rs_init(&s->rs, net_stream_rs_finalize, false);
     qio_net_listener_set_client_func(s->listener, net_stream_listen, s, NULL);
     qio_net_listener_add(s->listener, listen_sioc);
@@ -309,6 +310,7 @@ static int net_stream_server_init(NetClientState *peer,
 
     nc = qemu_new_net_client(&net_stream_info, peer, model, name);
     s = DO_UPCAST(NetStreamState, nc, nc);
+    qemu_set_info_str(&s->nc, "initializing");
 
     s->listen_ioc = QIO_CHANNEL(listen_sioc);
     qio_channel_socket_listen_async(listen_sioc, addr, 0,
@@ -400,6 +402,7 @@ static int net_stream_client_init(NetClientState *peer,
 
     nc = qemu_new_net_client(&net_stream_info, peer, model, name);
     s = DO_UPCAST(NetStreamState, nc, nc);
+    qemu_set_info_str(&s->nc, "connecting");
 
     s->ioc = QIO_CHANNEL(sioc);
     s->nc.link_down = true;
diff --git a/tests/qtest/netdev-socket.c b/tests/qtest/netdev-socket.c
index 3fc2ac26d0..91441f7922 100644
--- a/tests/qtest/netdev-socket.c
+++ b/tests/qtest/netdev-socket.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ static void test_stream_inet_ipv4(void)
                        "addr.ipv4=on,addr.ipv6=off,"
                        "addr.host=127.0.0.1,addr.port=%d", port);
 
-    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,\r\n", 0);
+    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,listening\r\n", 0);
 
     qts1 = qtest_initf("-nodefaults -M none "
                        "-netdev stream,server=false,id=st0,addr.type=inet,"
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ static void test_stream_unix_reconnect(void)
                        "-netdev stream,id=st0,server=true,addr.type=unix,"
                        "addr.path=%s", path);
 
-    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,\r\n", 0);
+    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,listening\r\n", 0);
 
     qts1 = qtest_initf("-nodefaults -M none "
                        "-netdev stream,server=false,id=st0,addr.type=unix,"
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ static void test_stream_inet_ipv6(void)
                        "addr.ipv4=off,addr.ipv6=on,"
                        "addr.host=::1,addr.port=%d", port);
 
-    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,\r\n", 0);
+    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,listening\r\n", 0);
 
     qts1 = qtest_initf("-nodefaults -M none "
                        "-netdev stream,server=false,id=st0,addr.type=inet,"
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ static void test_stream_unix(void)
                        "addr.type=unix,addr.path=%s,",
                        path);
 
-    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,\r\n", 0);
+    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,listening\r\n", 0);
 
     qts1 = qtest_initf("-nodefaults -M none "
                        "-netdev stream,id=st0,server=false,"
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ static void test_stream_unix_abstract(void)
                        "addr.abstract=on",
                        path);
 
-    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,\r\n", 0);
+    EXPECT_STATE(qts0, "st0: index=0,type=stream,listening\r\n", 0);
 
     qts1 = qtest_initf("-nodefaults -M none "
                        "-netdev stream,id=st0,server=false,"