diff --git a/src/qemu/libvirtd_qemu.aug b/src/qemu/libvirtd_qemu.aug
index ef75421909..5bd60b3629 100644
--- a/src/qemu/libvirtd_qemu.aug
+++ b/src/qemu/libvirtd_qemu.aug
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ module Libvirtd_qemu =
                  | str_entry "security_driver"
                  | str_entry "user"
                  | str_entry "group"
+		 | bool_entry "dynamic_ownership"
                  | str_array_entry "cgroup_controllers"
                  | str_array_entry "cgroup_device_acl"
                  | str_entry "save_image_format"
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu.conf b/src/qemu/qemu.conf
index 1078963c08..3da332fc86 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu.conf
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu.conf
@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@
 # The group ID for QEMU processes run by the system instance
 #group = "root"
 
+# Whether libvirt should dynamically change file ownership
+# to match the configured user/group above. Defaults to 1.
+# Set to 0 to disable file ownership changes.
+#dynamic_ownership = 1
+
 
 # What cgroup controllers to make use of with QEMU guests
 #
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
index ba31cccc6f..3cdb0dfd93 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@ int qemudLoadDriverConfig(struct qemud_driver *driver,
     char *group;
     int i;
 
-    /* Setup 2 critical defaults */
+    /* Setup critical defaults */
+    driver->dynamicOwnership = 1;
+
     if (!(driver->vncListen = strdup("127.0.0.1"))) {
         virReportOOMError(NULL);
         return -1;
@@ -224,6 +226,7 @@ int qemudLoadDriverConfig(struct qemud_driver *driver,
     }
     VIR_FREE(user);
 
+
     p = virConfGetValue (conf, "group");
     CHECK_TYPE ("group", VIR_CONF_STRING);
     if (!(group = strdup(p && p->str ? p->str : QEMU_GROUP))) {
@@ -231,8 +234,6 @@ int qemudLoadDriverConfig(struct qemud_driver *driver,
         virConfFree(conf);
         return -1;
     }
-
-
     if (virGetGroupID(NULL, group, &driver->group) < 0) {
         VIR_FREE(group);
         virConfFree(conf);
@@ -240,6 +241,12 @@ int qemudLoadDriverConfig(struct qemud_driver *driver,
     }
     VIR_FREE(group);
 
+
+    p = virConfGetValue (conf, "dynamic_ownership");
+    CHECK_TYPE ("dynamic_ownership", VIR_CONF_LONG);
+    if (p) driver->dynamicOwnership = p->l;
+
+
     p = virConfGetValue (conf, "cgroup_controllers");
     CHECK_TYPE ("cgroup_controllers", VIR_CONF_LIST);
     if (p) {
diff --git a/src/qemu/test_libvirtd_qemu.aug b/src/qemu/test_libvirtd_qemu.aug
index e9abbb41e0..2feedc05cf 100644
--- a/src/qemu/test_libvirtd_qemu.aug
+++ b/src/qemu/test_libvirtd_qemu.aug
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ user = \"root\"
 
 group = \"root\"
 
+dynamic_ownership = 1
+
 cgroup_controllers = [ \"cpu\", \"devices\" ]
 
 cgroup_device_acl = [ \"/dev/null\", \"/dev/full\", \"/dev/zero\" ]
@@ -184,6 +186,8 @@ relaxed_acs_check = 1
 { "#empty" }
 { "group" = "root" }
 { "#empty" }
+{ "dynamic_ownership" = "1" }
+{ "#empty" }
 { "cgroup_controllers"
     { "1" = "cpu" }
     { "2" = "devices" }