diff --git a/include/net/net.h b/include/net/net.h
index e175ba9677..96e6eae817 100644
--- a/include/net/net.h
+++ b/include/net/net.h
@@ -203,7 +203,6 @@ void net_cleanup(void);
 void hmp_host_net_add(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 void hmp_host_net_remove(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 void netdev_add(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp);
-void qmp_netdev_add(QDict *qdict, QObject **ret, Error **errp);
 
 int net_hub_id_for_client(NetClientState *nc, int *id);
 NetClientState *net_hub_port_find(int hub_id);
diff --git a/monitor/misc.c b/monitor/misc.c
index c3bc34c099..41a86e7012 100644
--- a/monitor/misc.c
+++ b/monitor/misc.c
@@ -247,8 +247,6 @@ static void monitor_init_qmp_commands(void)
                          qmp_query_qmp_schema, QCO_ALLOW_PRECONFIG);
     qmp_register_command(&qmp_commands, "device_add", qmp_device_add,
                          QCO_NO_OPTIONS);
-    qmp_register_command(&qmp_commands, "netdev_add", qmp_netdev_add,
-                         QCO_NO_OPTIONS);
     qmp_register_command(&qmp_commands, "object-add", qmp_object_add,
                          QCO_NO_OPTIONS);
 
diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index 9e93c3f8a1..a2065aabed 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -1170,7 +1170,7 @@ void netdev_add(QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
     net_client_init(opts, true, errp);
 }
 
-void qmp_netdev_add(QDict *qdict, QObject **ret, Error **errp)
+void qmp_netdev_add(Netdev *netdev, Error **errp)
 {
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     QemuOptsList *opts_list;
@@ -1181,12 +1181,12 @@ void qmp_netdev_add(QDict *qdict, QObject **ret, Error **errp)
         goto out;
     }
 
-    opts = qemu_opts_from_qdict(opts_list, qdict, &local_err);
+    opts = qemu_opts_create(opts_list, netdev->id, 1, &local_err);
     if (local_err) {
         goto out;
     }
 
-    netdev_add(opts, &local_err);
+    net_client_init1(netdev, true, &local_err);
     if (local_err) {
         qemu_opts_del(opts);
         goto out;
diff --git a/qapi/net.json b/qapi/net.json
index 1cb9a7d782..cebb1b52e3 100644
--- a/qapi/net.json
+++ b/qapi/net.json
@@ -39,18 +39,8 @@
 #
 # Add a network backend.
 #
-# @type: the type of network backend. Possible values are listed in
-#        NetClientDriver (excluding 'none' and 'nic')
-#
-# @id: the name of the new network backend
-#
 # Additional arguments depend on the type.
 #
-# TODO: This command effectively bypasses QAPI completely due to its
-#       "additional arguments" business.  It shouldn't have been added to
-#       the schema in this form.  It should be qapified properly, or
-#       replaced by a properly qapified command.
-#
 # Since: 0.14.0
 #
 # Returns: Nothing on success
@@ -64,9 +54,7 @@
 # <- { "return": {} }
 #
 ##
-{ 'command': 'netdev_add',
-  'data': {'type': 'str', 'id': 'str'},
-  'gen': false }                # so we can get the additional arguments
+{ 'command': 'netdev_add', 'data': 'Netdev', 'boxed': true }
 
 ##
 # @netdev_del: