diff --git a/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.c b/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.c
index b38088e066..7a7cd5c5ba 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.c
+++ b/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.c
@@ -182,7 +182,12 @@ static int synth_opendir(FsContext *ctx,
     V9fsSynthOpenState *synth_open;
     V9fsSynthNode *node = *(V9fsSynthNode **)fs_path->data;
 
-    synth_open = g_malloc(sizeof(*synth_open));
+    /*
+     * V9fsSynthOpenState contains 'struct dirent' which have OS-specific
+     * properties, thus it's zero cleared on allocation here and below
+     * in synth_open.
+     */
+    synth_open = g_new0(V9fsSynthOpenState, 1);
     synth_open->node = node;
     node->open_count++;
     fs->private = synth_open;
@@ -220,7 +225,14 @@ static void synth_rewinddir(FsContext *ctx, V9fsFidOpenState *fs)
 static void synth_direntry(V9fsSynthNode *node,
                                 struct dirent *entry, off_t off)
 {
-    strcpy(entry->d_name, node->name);
+    size_t sz = strlen(node->name) + 1;
+    /*
+     * 'entry' is always inside of V9fsSynthOpenState which have NAME_MAX
+     * back padding. Ensure we do not overflow it.
+     */
+    g_assert(sizeof(struct dirent) + NAME_MAX >=
+             offsetof(struct dirent, d_name) + sz);
+    memcpy(entry->d_name, node->name, sz);
     entry->d_ino = node->attr->inode;
     entry->d_off = off + 1;
 }
@@ -266,7 +278,7 @@ static int synth_open(FsContext *ctx, V9fsPath *fs_path,
     V9fsSynthOpenState *synth_open;
     V9fsSynthNode *node = *(V9fsSynthNode **)fs_path->data;
 
-    synth_open = g_malloc(sizeof(*synth_open));
+    synth_open = g_new0(V9fsSynthOpenState, 1);
     synth_open->node = node;
     node->open_count++;
     fs->private = synth_open;
diff --git a/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.h b/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.h
index 036d7e4a5b..eeb246f377 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.h
+++ b/hw/9pfs/9p-synth.h
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ typedef struct V9fsSynthOpenState {
     off_t offset;
     V9fsSynthNode *node;
     struct dirent dent;
+    /*
+     * Ensure there is enough space for 'dent' above, some systems have a
+     * d_name size of just 1, which would cause a buffer overrun.
+     */
+    char dent_trailing_space[NAME_MAX];
 } V9fsSynthOpenState;
 
 int qemu_v9fs_synth_mkdir(V9fsSynthNode *parent, int mode,
diff --git a/hw/9pfs/codir.c b/hw/9pfs/codir.c
index 032cce04c4..c0873bde16 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/codir.c
+++ b/hw/9pfs/codir.c
@@ -143,8 +143,7 @@ static int do_readdir_many(V9fsPDU *pdu, V9fsFidState *fidp,
         } else {
             e = e->next = g_malloc0(sizeof(V9fsDirEnt));
         }
-        e->dent = g_malloc0(sizeof(struct dirent));
-        memcpy(e->dent, dent, sizeof(struct dirent));
+        e->dent = qemu_dirent_dup(dent);
 
         /* perform a full stat() for directory entry if requested by caller */
         if (dostat) {
diff --git a/include/qemu/osdep.h b/include/qemu/osdep.h
index d1660d67fa..ce12f64853 100644
--- a/include/qemu/osdep.h
+++ b/include/qemu/osdep.h
@@ -805,6 +805,19 @@ static inline int platform_does_not_support_system(const char *command)
 }
 #endif /* !HAVE_SYSTEM_FUNCTION */
 
+/**
+ * Duplicate directory entry @dent.
+ *
+ * It is highly recommended to use this function instead of open coding
+ * duplication of @c dirent objects, because the actual @c struct @c dirent
+ * size may be bigger or shorter than @c sizeof(struct dirent) and correct
+ * handling is platform specific (see gitlab issue #841).
+ *
+ * @dent - original directory entry to be duplicated
+ * @returns duplicated directory entry which should be freed with g_free()
+ */
+struct dirent *qemu_dirent_dup(struct dirent *dent);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/util/osdep.c b/util/osdep.c
index 42a0a4986a..67fbf22778 100644
--- a/util/osdep.c
+++ b/util/osdep.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 extern int madvise(char *, size_t, int);
 #endif
 
+#include <dirent.h>
 #include "qemu-common.h"
 #include "qemu/cutils.h"
 #include "qemu/sockets.h"
@@ -615,3 +616,23 @@ writev(int fd, const struct iovec *iov, int iov_cnt)
     return readv_writev(fd, iov, iov_cnt, true);
 }
 #endif
+
+struct dirent *
+qemu_dirent_dup(struct dirent *dent)
+{
+    size_t sz = 0;
+#if defined _DIRENT_HAVE_D_RECLEN
+    /* Avoid use of strlen() if platform supports d_reclen. */
+    sz = dent->d_reclen;
+#endif
+    /*
+     * Test sz for zero even if d_reclen is available
+     * because some drivers may set d_reclen to zero.
+     */
+    if (sz == 0) {
+        /* Fallback to the most portable way. */
+        sz = offsetof(struct dirent, d_name) +
+                      strlen(dent->d_name) + 1;
+    }
+    return g_memdup(dent, sz);
+}