diff --git a/src/conf/capabilities.c b/src/conf/capabilities.c
index 86ea212fa9..9ab343bc65 100644
--- a/src/conf/capabilities.c
+++ b/src/conf/capabilities.c
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ virCapabilitiesDispose(void *object)
         virCapabilitiesClearSecModel(&caps->host.secModels[i]);
     VIR_FREE(caps->host.secModels);
 
+    VIR_FREE(caps->host.netprefix);
     VIR_FREE(caps->host.pagesSize);
     virCPUDefFree(caps->host.cpu);
 }
@@ -269,6 +270,23 @@ virCapabilitiesAddHostMigrateTransport(virCapsPtr caps,
     return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * virCapabilitiesSetNetPrefix:
+ * @caps: capabilities to extend
+ * @name: prefix for host generated network interfaces
+ *
+ * Registers the prefix that is used for generated network interfaces
+ */
+int
+virCapabilitiesSetNetPrefix(virCapsPtr caps,
+                            const char *prefix)
+{
+    if (VIR_STRDUP(caps->host.netprefix, prefix) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 
 /**
  * virCapabilitiesAddHostNUMACell:
@@ -913,6 +931,10 @@ virCapabilitiesFormatXML(virCapsPtr caps)
         virBufferAddLit(&buf, "</migration_features>\n");
     }
 
+    if (caps->host.netprefix)
+        virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "<netprefix>%s</netprefix>\n",
+                          caps->host.netprefix);
+
     if (caps->host.nnumaCell &&
         virCapabilitiesFormatNUMATopology(&buf, caps->host.nnumaCell,
                                           caps->host.numaCell) < 0)
diff --git a/src/conf/capabilities.h b/src/conf/capabilities.h
index 1754b13269..2767f4807d 100644
--- a/src/conf/capabilities.h
+++ b/src/conf/capabilities.h
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ struct _virCapsHost {
     size_t nsecModels;
     virCapsHostSecModelPtr secModels;
 
+    char *netprefix;
     virCPUDefPtr cpu;
     int nPagesSize;             /* size of pagesSize array */
     unsigned int *pagesSize;    /* page sizes support on the system */
@@ -219,6 +220,9 @@ extern int
 virCapabilitiesAddHostMigrateTransport(virCapsPtr caps,
                                        const char *name);
 
+extern int
+virCapabilitiesSetNetPrefix(virCapsPtr caps,
+                            const char *prefix);
 
 extern int
 virCapabilitiesAddHostNUMACell(virCapsPtr caps,
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 69be352d6e..f118d979ee 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ virCapabilitiesGetCpusForNodemask;
 virCapabilitiesHostSecModelAddBaseLabel;
 virCapabilitiesNew;
 virCapabilitiesSetHostCPU;
+virCapabilitiesSetNetPrefix;
 
 
 # conf/cpu_conf.h