diff --git a/docs/formatdomain.html.in b/docs/formatdomain.html.in
index bb72452c05..e7b585cfed 100644
--- a/docs/formatdomain.html.in
+++ b/docs/formatdomain.html.in
@@ -3874,7 +3874,11 @@ qemu-kvm -net nic,model=? /dev/null
       <source network='default'/>
       <target dev='vnet1'/>
       <model type='virtio'/>
-      <b>&lt;driver name='vhost' txmode='iothread' ioeventfd='on' event_idx='off' queues='5'/&gt;</b>
+      <b>&lt;driver name='vhost' txmode='iothread' ioeventfd='on' event_idx='off' queues='5'&gt;
+        &lt;host csum='off' gso='off' tso4='off' tso6='off' ecn='off' ufo='off'/&gt;
+        &lt;guest csum='off' tso4='off' tso6='off' ecn='off' ufo='off'/&gt;
+      &lt;/driver&gt;
+      </b>
     &lt;/interface&gt;
   &lt;/devices&gt;
   ...</pre>
@@ -3978,6 +3982,24 @@ qemu-kvm -net nic,model=? /dev/null
         processor, resulting in much higher throughput.
         <span class="since">Since 1.0.6 (QEMU and KVM only)</span>
       </dd>
+      <dt><code>host</code> offloading options</dt>
+      <dd>
+        The <code>csum</code>, <code>gso</code>, <code>tso4</code>,
+        <code>tso6</code>, <code>ecn</code> and <code>ufo</code>
+        attributes with possible values <code>on</code>
+        and <code>off</code> can be used to turn off host offloading options.
+        By default, the supported offloads are enabled by QEMU.
+        <span class="since">Since 1.2.9 (QEMU only)</span>
+      </dd>
+      <dt><code>guest</code> offloading options</dt>
+      <dd>
+        The <code>csum</code>, <code>tso4</code>,
+        <code>tso6</code>, <code>ecn</code> and <code>ufo</code>
+        attributes with possible values <code>on</code>
+        and <code>off</code> can be used to turn off guest offloading options.
+        By default, the supported offloads are enabled by QEMU.
+        <span class="since">Since 1.2.9 (QEMU only)</span>
+      </dd>
     </dl>
 
     <h5><a name="elementsBackendOptions">Setting network backend-specific options</a></h5>
diff --git a/docs/schemas/domaincommon.rng b/docs/schemas/domaincommon.rng
index b6b309d838..1a266e571c 100644
--- a/docs/schemas/domaincommon.rng
+++ b/docs/schemas/domaincommon.rng
@@ -2366,7 +2366,71 @@
               </optional>
             </group>
           </choice>
-          <empty/>
+          <interleave>
+            <optional>
+              <element name='host'>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='csum'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='gso'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='tso4'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='tso6'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='ecn'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='ufo'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+              </element>
+            </optional>
+            <optional>
+              <element name='guest'>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='csum'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='tso4'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='tso6'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='ecn'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+                <optional>
+                  <attribute name='ufo'>
+                    <ref name="virOnOff"/>
+                  </attribute>
+                </optional>
+              </element>
+            </optional>
+          </interleave>
         </element>
       </optional>
       <optional>
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 0a7d0b804b..b114737549 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -6919,6 +6919,7 @@ virDomainNetDefParseXML(virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
     char *ioeventfd = NULL;
     char *event_idx = NULL;
     char *queues = NULL;
+    char *str = NULL;
     char *filter = NULL;
     char *internal = NULL;
     char *devaddr = NULL;
@@ -7414,6 +7415,115 @@ virDomainNetDefParseXML(virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
             }
             def->driver.virtio.queues = q;
         }
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/host/@csum)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown host csum mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.host.csum = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/host/@gso)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown host gso mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.host.gso = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/host/@tso4)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown host tso4 mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.host.tso4 = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/host/@tso6)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown host tso6 mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.host.tso6 = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/host/@ecn)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown host ecn mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.host.ecn = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/host/@ufo)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown host ufo mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.host.ufo = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/guest/@csum)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown guest csum mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.guest.csum = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/guest/@tso4)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown guest tso4 mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.guest.tso4 = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/guest/@tso6)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown guest tso6 mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.guest.tso6 = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/guest/@ecn)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown guest ecn mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.guest.ecn = val;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(str);
+        if ((str = virXPathString("string(./driver/guest/@ufo)", ctxt))) {
+            if ((val = virTristateSwitchTypeFromString(str)) <= 0) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                               _("unknown guest ufo mode '%s'"),
+                               str);
+                goto error;
+            }
+            def->driver.virtio.guest.ufo = val;
+        }
     }
 
     def->linkstate = VIR_DOMAIN_NET_INTERFACE_LINK_STATE_DEFAULT;
@@ -7471,6 +7581,7 @@ virDomainNetDefParseXML(virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
     VIR_FREE(ioeventfd);
     VIR_FREE(event_idx);
     VIR_FREE(queues);
+    VIR_FREE(str);
     VIR_FREE(filter);
     VIR_FREE(type);
     VIR_FREE(internal);
@@ -16511,6 +16622,80 @@ virDomainActualNetDefFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
 }
 
 
+static int
+virDomainVirtioNetGuestOptsFormat(char **outstr,
+                                  virDomainNetDefPtr def)
+{
+    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    if (def->driver.virtio.guest.csum) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "csum='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.guest.csum));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.guest.tso4) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "tso4='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.guest.tso4));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.guest.tso6) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "tso6='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.guest.tso6));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.guest.ecn) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "ecn='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.guest.ecn));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.guest.ufo) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "ufo='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.guest.ufo));
+    }
+    virBufferTrim(&buf, " ", -1);
+
+    if (virBufferCheckError(&buf) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    *outstr = virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+static int
+virDomainVirtioNetHostOptsFormat(char **outstr,
+                                 virDomainNetDefPtr def)
+{
+    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
+    if (def->driver.virtio.host.csum) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "csum='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.host.csum));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.host.gso) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "gso='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.host.gso));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.host.tso4) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "tso4='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.host.tso4));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.host.tso6) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "tso6='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.host.tso6));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.host.ecn) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "ecn='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.host.ecn));
+    }
+    if (def->driver.virtio.host.ufo) {
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "ufo='%s' ",
+                          virTristateSwitchTypeToString(def->driver.virtio.host.ufo));
+    }
+    virBufferTrim(&buf, " ", -1);
+
+    if (virBufferCheckError(&buf) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    *outstr = virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 static int
 virDomainVirtioNetDriverFormat(char **outstr,
                                virDomainNetDefPtr def)
@@ -16562,7 +16747,6 @@ virDomainNetDefFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
     virDomainHostdevDefPtr hostdef = NULL;
     char macstr[VIR_MAC_STRING_BUFLEN];
 
-
     if (publicActual) {
         if (!(typeStr = virDomainNetTypeToString(actualType))) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
@@ -16721,14 +16905,36 @@ virDomainNetDefFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
         virBufferEscapeString(buf, "<model type='%s'/>\n",
                               def->model);
         if (STREQ(def->model, "virtio")) {
-            char *str;
+            char *str = NULL, *gueststr = NULL, *hoststr = NULL;
+            int rc = 0;
 
-            if (virDomainVirtioNetDriverFormat(&str, def) < 0)
-                return -1;
+            if (virDomainVirtioNetDriverFormat(&str, def) < 0 ||
+                virDomainVirtioNetGuestOptsFormat(&gueststr, def) < 0 ||
+                virDomainVirtioNetHostOptsFormat(&hoststr, def) < 0)
+                rc = -1;
 
-            if (str)
-                virBufferAsprintf(buf, "<driver %s/>\n", str);
+            if (!gueststr && !hoststr) {
+                if (str)
+                    virBufferAsprintf(buf, "<driver %s/>\n", str);
+            } else {
+                if (str)
+                    virBufferAsprintf(buf, "<driver %s>\n", str);
+                else
+                    virBufferAddLit(buf, "<driver>\n");
+                virBufferAdjustIndent(buf, 2);
+                if (hoststr)
+                    virBufferAsprintf(buf, "<host %s/>\n", hoststr);
+                if (gueststr)
+                    virBufferAsprintf(buf, "<guest %s/>\n", gueststr);
+                virBufferAdjustIndent(buf, -2);
+                virBufferAddLit(buf, "</driver>\n");
+            }
             VIR_FREE(str);
+            VIR_FREE(hoststr);
+            VIR_FREE(gueststr);
+
+            if (rc < 0)
+                return -1;
         }
     }
     if (def->backend.tap || def->backend.vhost) {
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index d97b1f8619..ea201b3a33 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -895,6 +895,21 @@ struct _virDomainNetDef {
             virTristateSwitch ioeventfd;
             virTristateSwitch event_idx;
             unsigned int queues; /* Multiqueue virtio-net */
+            struct {
+                virTristateSwitch csum;
+                virTristateSwitch gso;
+                virTristateSwitch tso4;
+                virTristateSwitch tso6;
+                virTristateSwitch ecn;
+                virTristateSwitch ufo;
+            } host;
+            struct {
+                virTristateSwitch csum;
+                virTristateSwitch tso4;
+                virTristateSwitch tso6;
+                virTristateSwitch ecn;
+                virTristateSwitch ufo;
+            } guest;
         } virtio;
     } driver;
     struct {
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-net-virtio-disable-offloads.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-net-virtio-disable-offloads.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e368c4352a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/qemuxml2argv-net-virtio-disable-offloads.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+<domain type='qemu'>
+  <name>QEMUGuest1</name>
+  <uuid>c7a5fdbd-edaf-9455-926a-d65c16db1809</uuid>
+  <memory unit='KiB'>219136</memory>
+  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>219136</currentMemory>
+  <vcpu placement='static'>1</vcpu>
+  <os>
+    <type arch='i686' machine='pc'>hvm</type>
+    <boot dev='hd'/>
+  </os>
+  <clock offset='utc'/>
+  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
+  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
+  <on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
+  <devices>
+    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu</emulator>
+    <disk type='block' device='disk'>
+      <source dev='/dev/HostVG/QEMUGuest7'/>
+      <target dev='hda' bus='ide'/>
+      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
+    </disk>
+    <controller type='usb' index='0'/>
+    <controller type='ide' index='0'/>
+    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'/>
+    <interface type='user'>
+      <mac address='00:22:44:66:88:aa'/>
+      <model type='virtio'/>
+      <driver>
+        <host csum='off' gso='off' tso4='off' tso6='off' ecn='off' ufo='off'/>
+        <guest csum='off' tso4='off' tso6='off' ecn='off' ufo='off'/>
+      </driver>
+    </interface>
+    <memballoon model='virtio'/>
+  </devices>
+</domain>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmltest.c b/tests/qemuxml2xmltest.c
index 56a371ea38..9a568806d7 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmltest.c
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmltest.c
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ mymain(void)
     DO_TEST("net-user");
     DO_TEST("net-virtio");
     DO_TEST("net-virtio-device");
+    DO_TEST("net-virtio-disable-offloads");
     DO_TEST("net-eth");
     DO_TEST("net-eth-ifname");
     DO_TEST("net-virtio-network-portgroup");