diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index a3ba5337ac..c6bdd299f7 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -11379,14 +11379,6 @@ qemuDomainBlockJobImpl(virDomainPtr dom, const char *path, const char *base,
     if (!device) {
         goto cleanup;
     }
-    /* XXX - add a qemu capability check; if qemu 1.1 or newer, then
-     *  validate and convert non-NULL base into something that can
-     * be passed as optional base argument.  */
-    if (base)  {
-        qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_ARGUMENT_UNSUPPORTED, "%s",
-                        _("partial block pull is not supported with this QEMU binary"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
 
     if (qemuDomainObjBeginJobWithDriver(driver, vm, QEMU_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -11399,7 +11391,12 @@ qemuDomainBlockJobImpl(virDomainPtr dom, const char *path, const char *base,
 
     qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorWithDriver(driver, vm);
     priv = vm->privateData;
-    ret = qemuMonitorBlockJob(priv->mon, device, bandwidth, info, mode);
+    /* XXX - add a qemu capability check, since only qemu 1.1 or newer
+     * supports the base argument.
+     * XXX - libvirt should really be tracking the backing file chain
+     * itself, and validating that base is on the chain, rather than
+     * relying on qemu to do this.  */
+    ret = qemuMonitorBlockJob(priv->mon, device, base, bandwidth, info, mode);
     qemuDomainObjExitMonitorWithDriver(driver, vm);
 
 endjob:
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
index 4896919064..1da73f69d1 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
@@ -2712,17 +2712,18 @@ int qemuMonitorScreendump(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
 
 int qemuMonitorBlockJob(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                         const char *device,
+                        const char *base,
                         unsigned long bandwidth,
                         virDomainBlockJobInfoPtr info,
                         int mode)
 {
     int ret = -1;
 
-    VIR_DEBUG("mon=%p, device=%s, bandwidth=%lu, info=%p, mode=%o",
-              mon, device, bandwidth, info, mode);
+    VIR_DEBUG("mon=%p, device=%s, base=%s, bandwidth=%lu, info=%p, mode=%o",
+              mon, device, NULLSTR(base), bandwidth, info, mode);
 
     if (mon->json)
-        ret = qemuMonitorJSONBlockJob(mon, device, bandwidth, info, mode);
+        ret = qemuMonitorJSONBlockJob(mon, device, base, bandwidth, info, mode);
     else
         qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_INVALID_ARG, "%s",
                         _("block jobs require JSON monitor"));
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
index 9c5a5d3c7d..b1c956c26d 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * qemu_monitor.h: interaction with QEMU monitor console
  *
- * Copyright (C) 2006-2011 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2006-2012 Red Hat, Inc.
  * Copyright (C) 2006 Daniel P. Berrange
  *
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -519,9 +519,11 @@ typedef enum {
 
 int qemuMonitorBlockJob(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                         const char *device,
+                        const char *back,
                         unsigned long bandwidth,
                         virDomainBlockJobInfoPtr info,
-                        int mode);
+                        int mode)
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(5);
 
 int qemuMonitorOpenGraphics(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                             const char *protocol,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
index e6e9a85478..c0f148bfff 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
@@ -3229,17 +3229,25 @@ static int qemuMonitorJSONGetBlockJobInfo(virJSONValuePtr reply,
 }
 
 
-int qemuMonitorJSONBlockJob(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
-                             const char *device,
-                             unsigned long bandwidth,
-                             virDomainBlockJobInfoPtr info,
-                             int mode)
+int
+qemuMonitorJSONBlockJob(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
+                        const char *device,
+                        const char *base,
+                        unsigned long bandwidth,
+                        virDomainBlockJobInfoPtr info,
+                        int mode)
 {
     int ret = -1;
     virJSONValuePtr cmd = NULL;
     virJSONValuePtr reply = NULL;
     const char *cmd_name = NULL;
 
+    if (base && mode != BLOCK_JOB_PULL) {
+        qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                        _("only block pull supports base: %s"), base);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     if (mode == BLOCK_JOB_ABORT) {
         cmd_name = "block_job_cancel";
         cmd = qemuMonitorJSONMakeCommand(cmd_name, "s:device", device, NULL);
@@ -3254,8 +3262,12 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONBlockJob(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                                          NULL);
     } else if (mode == BLOCK_JOB_PULL) {
         cmd_name = "block_stream";
-        cmd = qemuMonitorJSONMakeCommand(cmd_name, "s:device",
-                                         device, NULL);
+        if (base)
+            cmd = qemuMonitorJSONMakeCommand(cmd_name, "s:device",
+                                             device, "s:base", base, NULL);
+        else
+            cmd = qemuMonitorJSONMakeCommand(cmd_name, "s:device",
+                                             device, NULL);
     }
 
     if (!cmd)
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.h b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.h
index 9c423a0843..0932a2c0e6 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * qemu_monitor_json.h: interaction with QEMU monitor console
  *
- * Copyright (C) 2006-2009, 2011 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2006-2009, 2011-2012 Red Hat, Inc.
  * Copyright (C) 2006 Daniel P. Berrange
  *
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONScreendump(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
 
 int qemuMonitorJSONBlockJob(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                             const char *device,
+                            const char *base,
                             unsigned long bandwidth,
                             virDomainBlockJobInfoPtr info,
                             int mode);