diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
index 71d0464c0d..8853578dc6 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.c
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ virQEMUDriverConfigPtr virQEMUDriverConfigNew(bool privileged)
             goto error;
         if (virAsprintf(&cfg->snapshotDir, "%s/snapshot", cfg->libDir) < 0)
             goto error;
+        if (virAsprintf(&cfg->checkpointDir, "%s/checkpoint", cfg->libDir) < 0)
+            goto error;
         if (virAsprintf(&cfg->autoDumpPath, "%s/dump", cfg->libDir) < 0)
             goto error;
         if (virAsprintf(&cfg->channelTargetDir,
@@ -223,6 +225,8 @@ virQEMUDriverConfigPtr virQEMUDriverConfigNew(bool privileged)
             goto error;
         if (virAsprintf(&cfg->snapshotDir, "%s/qemu/snapshot", cfg->configBaseDir) < 0)
             goto error;
+        if (virAsprintf(&cfg->checkpointDir, "%s/qemu/checkpoint", cfg->configBaseDir) < 0)
+            goto error;
         if (virAsprintf(&cfg->autoDumpPath, "%s/qemu/dump", cfg->configBaseDir) < 0)
             goto error;
         if (virAsprintf(&cfg->channelTargetDir,
@@ -335,6 +339,7 @@ static void virQEMUDriverConfigDispose(void *obj)
     VIR_FREE(cfg->cacheDir);
     VIR_FREE(cfg->saveDir);
     VIR_FREE(cfg->snapshotDir);
+    VIR_FREE(cfg->checkpointDir);
     VIR_FREE(cfg->channelTargetDir);
     VIR_FREE(cfg->nvramDir);
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.h b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.h
index d8e3bfe87c..8f078cbe79 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_conf.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_conf.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "capabilities.h"
 #include "network_conf.h"
 #include "domain_conf.h"
+#include "checkpoint_conf.h"
 #include "snapshot_conf.h"
 #include "domain_event.h"
 #include "virthread.h"
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ struct _virQEMUDriverConfig {
     char *cacheDir;
     char *saveDir;
     char *snapshotDir;
+    char *checkpointDir;
     char *channelTargetDir;
     char *nvramDir;
     char *swtpmStorageDir;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 664f1ec071..b2ded88894 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -656,6 +656,11 @@ qemuStateInitialize(bool privileged,
                              cfg->snapshotDir);
         goto error;
     }
+    if (virFileMakePath(cfg->checkpointDir) < 0) {
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to create checkpoint dir %s"),
+                             cfg->checkpointDir);
+        goto error;
+    }
     if (virFileMakePath(cfg->autoDumpPath) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno, _("Failed to create dump dir %s"),
                              cfg->autoDumpPath);
@@ -767,6 +772,13 @@ qemuStateInitialize(bool privileged,
                                  (int)cfg->group);
             goto error;
         }
+        if (chown(cfg->checkpointDir, cfg->user, cfg->group) < 0) {
+            virReportSystemError(errno,
+                                 _("unable to set ownership of '%s' to %d:%d"),
+                                 cfg->checkpointDir, (int)cfg->user,
+                                 (int)cfg->group);
+            goto error;
+        }
         if (chown(cfg->autoDumpPath, cfg->user, cfg->group) < 0) {
             virReportSystemError(errno,
                                  _("unable to set ownership of '%s' to %d:%d"),