diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 2e70913f8..27e67d772 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -722,6 +722,7 @@ mod unit_tests {
             gdb: false,
             platform: None,
             tpm: None,
+            preserved_fds: None,
         };
 
         assert_eq!(expected_vm_config, result_vm_config);
diff --git a/vmm/src/config.rs b/vmm/src/config.rs
index 687175f6e..1f95c82e8 100644
--- a/vmm/src/config.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/config.rs
@@ -2093,11 +2093,27 @@ impl VmConfig {
             gdb,
             platform,
             tpm,
+            preserved_fds: None,
         };
         config.validate().map_err(Error::Validation)?;
         Ok(config)
     }
 
+    /// # Safety
+    /// To use this safely, the caller must guarantee that the input
+    /// fds are all valid.
+    pub unsafe fn add_preserved_fds(&mut self, mut fds: Vec<i32>) {
+        if fds.is_empty() {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if let Some(preserved_fds) = &self.preserved_fds {
+            fds.append(&mut preserved_fds.clone());
+        }
+
+        self.preserved_fds = Some(fds);
+    }
+
     #[cfg(feature = "tdx")]
     pub fn is_tdx_enabled(&self) -> bool {
         self.platform.as_ref().map(|p| p.tdx).unwrap_or(false)
@@ -2714,6 +2730,7 @@ mod tests {
             gdb: false,
             platform: None,
             tpm: None,
+            preserved_fds: None,
         };
 
         assert!(valid_config.validate().is_ok());
diff --git a/vmm/src/lib.rs b/vmm/src/lib.rs
index 146f4e56c..723cd4e79 100644
--- a/vmm/src/lib.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/lib.rs
@@ -2136,6 +2136,7 @@ mod unit_tests {
             gdb: false,
             platform: None,
             tpm: None,
+            preserved_fds: None,
         }))
     }
 
diff --git a/vmm/src/vm_config.rs b/vmm/src/vm_config.rs
index f9740e57d..d26a85c06 100644
--- a/vmm/src/vm_config.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/vm_config.rs
@@ -596,4 +596,10 @@ pub struct VmConfig {
     pub gdb: bool,
     pub platform: Option<PlatformConfig>,
     pub tpm: Option<TpmConfig>,
+    // Preseved FDs are the ones that share the same life-time as its holding
+    // VmConfig instance, such as FDs for creating TAP devices.
+    // Perserved FDs will stay open as long as the holding VmConfig instance is
+    // valid, and will be closed when the holding VmConfig instance is destroyed.
+    #[serde(skip)]
+    pub preserved_fds: Option<Vec<i32>>,
 }