diff --git a/migration.c b/migration.c
index 748752e82a..190b37e550 100644
--- a/migration.c
+++ b/migration.c
@@ -118,6 +118,25 @@ uint64_t migrate_max_downtime(void)
     return max_downtime;
 }
 
+void do_migrate_set_downtime(Monitor *mon, const char *value)
+{
+    char *ptr;
+    double d;
+
+    d = strtod(value, &ptr);
+    if (!strcmp(ptr,"ms")) {
+        d *= 1000000;
+    } else if (!strcmp(ptr,"us")) {
+        d *= 1000;
+    } else if (!strcmp(ptr,"ns")) {
+    } else {
+        /* all else considered to be seconds */
+        d *= 1000000000;
+    }
+
+    max_downtime = (uint64_t)d;
+}
+
 void do_info_migrate(Monitor *mon)
 {
     MigrationState *s = current_migration;
diff --git a/migration.h b/migration.h
index 0596f24636..37c7f8e158 100644
--- a/migration.h
+++ b/migration.h
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ void do_migrate_set_speed(Monitor *mon, const char *value);
 
 uint64_t migrate_max_downtime(void);
 
+void do_migrate_set_downtime(Monitor *mon, const char *value);
+
 void do_info_migrate(Monitor *mon);
 
 int exec_start_incoming_migration(const char *host_port);
diff --git a/qemu-monitor.hx b/qemu-monitor.hx
index f1155b8184..fa4852728b 100644
--- a/qemu-monitor.hx
+++ b/qemu-monitor.hx
@@ -482,6 +482,14 @@ ETEXI
 STEXI
 @item migrate_set_speed @var{value}
 Set maximum speed to @var{value} (in bytes) for migrations.
+ETEXI
+
+    { "migrate_set_downtime", "s", do_migrate_set_downtime,
+      "value", "set maximum tolerated downtime (in seconds) for migrations" },
+
+STEXI
+@item migrate_set_downtime @var{second}
+Set maximum tolerated downtime (in seconds) for migration.
 ETEXI
 
 #if defined(TARGET_I386)