diff --git a/src/libxl/xen_xl.c b/src/libxl/xen_xl.c
index c6aac16de5..258aca5c73 100644
--- a/src/libxl/xen_xl.c
+++ b/src/libxl/xen_xl.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "virstoragefile.h"
 #include "xen_xl.h"
 #include "libxl_capabilities.h"
+#include "libxl_conf.h"
 #include "cpu/cpu.h"
 
 #define VIR_FROM_THIS VIR_FROM_XENXL
@@ -1158,6 +1159,42 @@ xenParseXLChannel(virConfPtr conf, virDomainDefPtr def)
     return -1;
 }
 
+static int
+xenParseXLNamespaceData(virConfPtr conf, virDomainDefPtr def)
+{
+    virConfValuePtr list = virConfGetValue(conf, "device_model_args");
+    VIR_AUTOSTRINGLIST args = NULL;
+    size_t nargs;
+    libxlDomainXmlNsDefPtr nsdata = NULL;
+
+    if (list && list->type == VIR_CONF_LIST) {
+        list = list->list;
+        while (list) {
+            if ((list->type != VIR_CONF_STRING) || (list->str == NULL)) {
+                list = list->next;
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            virStringListAdd(&args, list->str);
+            list = list->next;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!args)
+        return 0;
+
+    nargs = g_strv_length(args);
+    if (nargs > 0) {
+        nsdata = g_new0(libxlDomainXmlNsDef, 1);
+
+        nsdata->args = g_steal_pointer(&args);
+        nsdata->num_args = nargs;
+        def->namespaceData = nsdata;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 virDomainDefPtr
 xenParseXL(virConfPtr conf,
            virCapsPtr caps,
@@ -1170,6 +1207,7 @@ xenParseXL(virConfPtr conf,
 
     def->virtType = VIR_DOMAIN_VIRT_XEN;
     def->id = -1;
+    def->ns = *(virDomainXMLOptionGetNamespace(xmlopt));
 
     if (xenParseConfigCommon(conf, def, caps, XEN_CONFIG_FORMAT_XL,
                              xmlopt) < 0)
@@ -1207,6 +1245,9 @@ xenParseXL(virConfPtr conf,
     if (xenParseXLChannel(conf, def) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
+    if (xenParseXLNamespaceData(conf, def) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
     if (virDomainDefPostParse(def, VIR_DOMAIN_DEF_PARSE_ABI_UPDATE,
                               xmlopt, NULL) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -2165,6 +2206,53 @@ xenFormatXLDomainChannels(virConfPtr conf, virDomainDefPtr def)
     return -1;
 }
 
+static int
+xenFormatXLDomainNamespaceData(virConfPtr conf, virDomainDefPtr def)
+{
+    libxlDomainXmlNsDefPtr nsdata = def->namespaceData;
+    virConfValuePtr args = NULL;
+    size_t i;
+
+    if (!nsdata)
+        return 0;
+
+    if (nsdata->num_args == 0)
+        return 0;
+
+    if (VIR_ALLOC(args) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    args->type = VIR_CONF_LIST;
+    args->list = NULL;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < nsdata->num_args; i++) {
+        virConfValuePtr val, tmp;
+
+        if (VIR_ALLOC(val) < 0)
+            goto error;
+
+        val->type = VIR_CONF_STRING;
+        val->str = g_strdup(nsdata->args[i]);
+        tmp = args->list;
+        while (tmp && tmp->next)
+            tmp = tmp->next;
+        if (tmp)
+            tmp->next = val;
+        else
+            args->list = val;
+    }
+
+    if (args->list != NULL)
+        if (virConfSetValue(conf, "device_model_args", args) < 0)
+            goto error;
+
+    return 0;
+
+ error:
+    virConfFreeValue(args);
+    return -1;
+}
+
 virConfPtr
 xenFormatXL(virDomainDefPtr def, virConnectPtr conn)
 {
@@ -2208,5 +2296,8 @@ xenFormatXL(virDomainDefPtr def, virConnectPtr conn)
     if (xenFormatXLDomainChannels(conf, def) < 0)
         return NULL;
 
+    if (xenFormatXLDomainNamespaceData(conf, def) < 0)
+        return NULL;
+
     return g_steal_pointer(&conf);
 }
diff --git a/tests/xlconfigdata/test-qemu-passthrough.cfg b/tests/xlconfigdata/test-qemu-passthrough.cfg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..42aad92205
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/xlconfigdata/test-qemu-passthrough.cfg
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+name = "XenGuest2"
+uuid = "c7a5fdb2-cdaf-9455-926a-d65c16db1809"
+maxmem = 579
+memory = 394
+vcpus = 1
+pae = 1
+acpi = 1
+apic = 1
+viridian = 0
+rtc_timeoffset = 0
+localtime = 0
+on_poweroff = "destroy"
+on_reboot = "restart"
+on_crash = "restart"
+device_model = "/usr/lib/xen/bin/qemu-system-i386"
+sdl = 0
+vnc = 1
+vncunused = 1
+vnclisten = "127.0.0.1"
+vif = [ "mac=00:16:3e:66:92:9c,bridge=xenbr1,script=vif-bridge,model=e1000" ]
+parallel = "none"
+serial = "none"
+builder = "hvm"
+boot = "d"
+disk = [ "format=raw,vdev=hda,access=rw,backendtype=qdisk,target=/var/lib/libvirt/images/XenGuest2" ]
+device_model_args = [ "-debugcon", "file:/tmp/debug.log", "-global", "isa-debugcon.iobase=0x402" ]
diff --git a/tests/xlconfigdata/test-qemu-passthrough.xml b/tests/xlconfigdata/test-qemu-passthrough.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5de35143c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/xlconfigdata/test-qemu-passthrough.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+<domain type='xen' xmlns:xen='http://libvirt.org/schemas/domain/xen/1.0'>
+  <name>XenGuest2</name>
+  <uuid>c7a5fdb2-cdaf-9455-926a-d65c16db1809</uuid>
+  <memory unit='KiB'>592896</memory>
+  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>403456</currentMemory>
+  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
+  <os>
+    <type arch='x86_64' machine='xenfv'>hvm</type>
+    <loader type='rom'>/usr/lib/xen/boot/hvmloader</loader>
+    <boot dev='cdrom'/>
+  </os>
+  <features>
+    <acpi/>
+    <apic/>
+    <pae/>
+  </features>
+  <clock offset='variable' adjustment='0' basis='utc'/>
+  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
+  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
+  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
+  <devices>
+    <emulator>/usr/lib/xen/bin/qemu-system-i386</emulator>
+    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
+      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
+      <source file='/var/lib/libvirt/images/XenGuest2'/>
+      <target dev='hda' bus='ide'/>
+      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
+    </disk>
+    <controller type='xenbus' index='0'/>
+    <controller type='ide' index='0'/>
+    <interface type='bridge'>
+      <mac address='00:16:3e:66:92:9c'/>
+      <source bridge='xenbr1'/>
+      <script path='vif-bridge'/>
+      <model type='e1000'/>
+    </interface>
+    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
+    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
+    <graphics type='vnc' port='-1' autoport='yes' listen='127.0.0.1'>
+      <listen type='address' address='127.0.0.1'/>
+    </graphics>
+    <video>
+      <model type='cirrus' vram='8192' heads='1' primary='yes'/>
+    </video>
+    <memballoon model='xen'/>
+  </devices>
+  <xen:commandline>
+    <xen:arg value='-debugcon'/>
+    <xen:arg value='file:/tmp/debug.log'/>
+    <xen:arg value='-global'/>
+    <xen:arg value='isa-debugcon.iobase=0x402'/>
+  </xen:commandline>
+</domain>
diff --git a/tests/xlconfigtest.c b/tests/xlconfigtest.c
index b2e045dfa5..b606164742 100644
--- a/tests/xlconfigtest.c
+++ b/tests/xlconfigtest.c
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ mymain(void)
 #ifdef LIBXL_HAVE_CREATEINFO_PASSTHROUGH
     DO_TEST("fullvirt-hypervisor-features");
 #endif
+    DO_TEST("qemu-passthrough");
 
     testXLFreeDriver(driver);