diff --git a/hw/scsi/scsi-disk.c b/hw/scsi/scsi-disk.c
index 9400b97387..ded23d36ca 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/scsi-disk.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/scsi-disk.c
@@ -3041,7 +3041,7 @@ static Property scsi_block_properties[] = {
     DEFINE_PROP_BOOL("share-rw", SCSIDiskState, qdev.conf.share_rw, false),
     DEFINE_PROP_UINT16("rotation_rate", SCSIDiskState, rotation_rate, 0),
     DEFINE_PROP_INT32("scsi_version", SCSIDiskState, qdev.default_scsi_version,
-                      5),
+                      -1),
     DEFINE_PROP_END_OF_LIST(),
 };
 
diff --git a/hw/scsi/scsi-generic.c b/hw/scsi/scsi-generic.c
index 1870085762..381f04e339 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/scsi-generic.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/scsi-generic.c
@@ -194,17 +194,40 @@ static void scsi_read_complete(void * opaque, int ret)
             r->buf[3] |= 0x80;
         }
     }
-    if (s->type == TYPE_DISK &&
-        r->req.cmd.buf[0] == INQUIRY &&
-        r->req.cmd.buf[2] == 0xb0) {
-        uint32_t max_transfer =
-            blk_get_max_transfer(s->conf.blk) / s->blocksize;
+    if (r->req.cmd.buf[0] == INQUIRY) {
+        /*
+         *  EVPD set to zero returns the standard INQUIRY data.
+         *
+         *  Check if scsi_version is unset (-1) to avoid re-defining it
+         *  each time an INQUIRY with standard data is received.
+         *  scsi_version is initialized with -1 in scsi_generic_reset
+         *  and scsi_disk_reset, making sure that we'll set the
+         *  scsi_version after a reset. If the version field of the
+         *  INQUIRY response somehow changes after a guest reboot,
+         *  we'll be able to keep track of it.
+         *
+         *  On SCSI-2 and older, first 3 bits of byte 2 is the
+         *  ANSI-approved version, while on later versions the
+         *  whole byte 2 contains the version. Check if we're dealing
+         *  with a newer version and, in that case, assign the
+         *  whole byte.
+         */
+        if (s->scsi_version == -1 && !(r->req.cmd.buf[1] & 0x01)) {
+            s->scsi_version = r->buf[2] & 0x07;
+            if (s->scsi_version > 2) {
+                s->scsi_version = r->buf[2];
+            }
+        }
+        if (s->type == TYPE_DISK && r->req.cmd.buf[2] == 0xb0) {
+            uint32_t max_transfer =
+                blk_get_max_transfer(s->conf.blk) / s->blocksize;
 
-        assert(max_transfer);
-        stl_be_p(&r->buf[8], max_transfer);
-        /* Also take care of the opt xfer len. */
-        stl_be_p(&r->buf[12],
-                 MIN_NON_ZERO(max_transfer, ldl_be_p(&r->buf[12])));
+            assert(max_transfer);
+            stl_be_p(&r->buf[8], max_transfer);
+            /* Also take care of the opt xfer len. */
+            stl_be_p(&r->buf[12],
+                     MIN_NON_ZERO(max_transfer, ldl_be_p(&r->buf[12])));
+        }
     }
     scsi_req_data(&r->req, len);
     scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
@@ -550,6 +573,8 @@ static void scsi_generic_realize(SCSIDevice *s, Error **errp)
 
     DPRINTF("block size %d\n", s->blocksize);
 
+    /* Only used by scsi-block, but initialize it nevertheless to be clean.  */
+    s->default_scsi_version = -1;
     scsi_generic_read_device_identification(s);
 }