diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 8f4915cc66..bb6a887cb7 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -700,19 +700,14 @@ void qemuDomainObjExitRemoteWithDriver(struct qemud_driver *driver,
 }
 
 
-char *qemuDomainFormatXML(struct qemud_driver *driver,
-                          virDomainObjPtr vm,
-                          int flags)
+char *qemuDomainDefFormatXML(struct qemud_driver *driver,
+                             virDomainDefPtr def,
+                             int flags)
 {
     char *ret = NULL;
     virCPUDefPtr cpu = NULL;
-    virDomainDefPtr def;
     virCPUDefPtr def_cpu;
 
-    if ((flags & VIR_DOMAIN_XML_INACTIVE) && vm->newDef)
-        def = vm->newDef;
-    else
-        def = vm->def;
     def_cpu = def->cpu;
 
     /* Update guest CPU requirements according to host CPU */
@@ -737,6 +732,21 @@ cleanup:
     return ret;
 }
 
+char *qemuDomainFormatXML(struct qemud_driver *driver,
+                          virDomainObjPtr vm,
+                          int flags)
+{
+    virDomainDefPtr def;
+
+    if ((flags & VIR_DOMAIN_XML_INACTIVE) && vm->newDef)
+        def = vm->newDef;
+    else
+        def = vm->def;
+
+    return qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, def, flags);
+}
+
+
 void qemuDomainObjTaint(struct qemud_driver *driver,
                         virDomainObjPtr obj,
                         enum virDomainTaintFlags taint,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
index effaebc133..9e7a7e9f0a 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ void qemuDomainObjEnterRemoteWithDriver(struct qemud_driver *driver,
 void qemuDomainObjExitRemoteWithDriver(struct qemud_driver *driver,
                                        virDomainObjPtr obj);
 
+char *qemuDomainDefFormatXML(struct qemud_driver *driver,
+                             virDomainDefPtr vm,
+                             int flags);
+
 char *qemuDomainFormatXML(struct qemud_driver *driver,
                           virDomainObjPtr vm,
                           int flags);
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
index 66c34f54b9..be2b80847a 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_migration.c
@@ -914,15 +914,10 @@ char *qemuMigrationBegin(struct qemud_driver *driver,
 {
     char *rv = NULL;
     qemuMigrationCookiePtr mig = NULL;
+    virDomainDefPtr def = NULL;
     VIR_DEBUG("driver=%p, vm=%p, xmlin=%s, cookieout=%p, cookieoutlen=%p",
               driver, vm, NULLSTR(xmlin), cookieout, cookieoutlen);
 
-    if (xmlin) {
-        qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                        "%s", _("Passing XML for the target VM is not yet supported"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
     if (!virDomainObjIsActive(vm)) {
         qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
                         "%s", _("domain is not running"));
@@ -940,13 +935,27 @@ char *qemuMigrationBegin(struct qemud_driver *driver,
                                 0) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    rv = qemuDomainFormatXML(driver, vm,
-                             VIR_DOMAIN_XML_SECURE |
-                             VIR_DOMAIN_XML_UPDATE_CPU);
+    if (xmlin) {
+        if (!(def = virDomainDefParseString(driver->caps, xmlin,
+                                            VIR_DOMAIN_XML_INACTIVE)))
+            goto cleanup;
+
+        if (!virDomainDefCheckABIStability(def, vm->def))
+            goto cleanup;
+
+        rv = qemuDomainDefFormatXML(driver, def,
+                                    VIR_DOMAIN_XML_SECURE |
+                                    VIR_DOMAIN_XML_UPDATE_CPU);
+    } else {
+        rv = qemuDomainFormatXML(driver, vm,
+                                 VIR_DOMAIN_XML_SECURE |
+                                 VIR_DOMAIN_XML_UPDATE_CPU);
+    }
 
 cleanup:
     virDomainObjUnlock(vm);
     qemuMigrationCookieFree(mig);
+    virDomainDefFree(def);
     return rv;
 }