diff --git a/docs/schemas/capability.rng b/docs/schemas/capability.rng
index f085e550fe..775bbdb5e9 100644
--- a/docs/schemas/capability.rng
+++ b/docs/schemas/capability.rng
@@ -196,6 +196,11 @@
 
   <define name='machine'>
     <element name='machine'>
+      <optional>
+        <attribute name='canonical'>
+          <text/>
+        </attribute>
+      </optional>
       <text/>
     </element>
   </define>
diff --git a/src/capabilities.c b/src/capabilities.c
index afe4d388bb..d1869615a5 100644
--- a/src/capabilities.c
+++ b/src/capabilities.c
@@ -692,8 +692,11 @@ virCapabilitiesFormatXML(virCapsPtr caps)
                                   caps->guests[i]->arch.defaultInfo.loader);
 
         for (j = 0 ; j < caps->guests[i]->arch.defaultInfo.nmachines ; j++) {
-            virBufferVSprintf(&xml, "      <machine>%s</machine>\n",
-                              caps->guests[i]->arch.defaultInfo.machines[j]->name);
+            virCapsGuestMachinePtr machine = caps->guests[i]->arch.defaultInfo.machines[j];
+            virBufferAddLit(&xml, "      <machine");
+            if (machine->canonical)
+                virBufferVSprintf(&xml, " canonical='%s'", machine->canonical);
+            virBufferVSprintf(&xml, ">%s</machine>\n", machine->name);
         }
 
         for (j = 0 ; j < caps->guests[i]->arch.ndomains ; j++) {
@@ -707,8 +710,11 @@ virCapabilitiesFormatXML(virCapsPtr caps)
                                   caps->guests[i]->arch.domains[j]->info.loader);
 
             for (k = 0 ; k < caps->guests[i]->arch.domains[j]->info.nmachines ; k++) {
-                virBufferVSprintf(&xml, "        <machine>%s</machine>\n",
-                                  caps->guests[i]->arch.domains[j]->info.machines[k]->name);
+                virCapsGuestMachinePtr machine = caps->guests[i]->arch.domains[j]->info.machines[k];
+                virBufferAddLit(&xml, "      <machine");
+                if (machine->canonical)
+                    virBufferVSprintf(&xml, " canonical='%s'", machine->canonical);
+                virBufferVSprintf(&xml, ">%s</machine>\n", machine->name);
             }
             virBufferAddLit(&xml, "      </domain>\n");
         }