diff --git a/src/util/virstoragefile.c b/src/util/virstoragefile.c
index 4486b758e5..91fdc95e66 100644
--- a/src/util/virstoragefile.c
+++ b/src/util/virstoragefile.c
@@ -1718,6 +1718,13 @@ virStorageSourceClear(virStorageSourcePtr def)
 
     virStorageNetHostDefFree(def->nhosts, def->hosts);
     virStorageSourceAuthClear(def);
+
+    VIR_FREE(def->relPath);
+    VIR_FREE(def->relDir);
+    VIR_FREE(def->backingStoreRaw);
+
+    /* recursively free backing chain */
+    virStorageSourceFree(def->backingMeta);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/util/virstoragefile.h b/src/util/virstoragefile.h
index 0e5136e8a1..11e25eb496 100644
--- a/src/util/virstoragefile.h
+++ b/src/util/virstoragefile.h
@@ -271,8 +271,22 @@ struct _virStorageSource {
     size_t nseclabels;
     virSecurityDeviceLabelDefPtr *seclabels;
 
+    /* backing chain of the storage source */
+    virStorageSourcePtr backingMeta;
+
     /* metadata for storage driver access to remote and local volumes */
     virStorageDriverDataPtr drv;
+
+    /* metadata about storage image which need separate fields */
+    /* Name of the current file as spelled by the user (top level) or
+     * metadata of the overlay (if this is a backing store).  */
+    char *relPath;
+    /* Directory to start from if backingStoreRaw is a relative file
+     * name.  */
+    char *relDir;
+    /* Name of the child backing store recorded in metadata of the
+     * current file.  */
+    char *backingStoreRaw;
 };