diff --git a/tools/virsh.c b/tools/virsh.c
index a719aabfc5..a315f05c87 100644
--- a/tools/virsh.c
+++ b/tools/virsh.c
@@ -11142,6 +11142,7 @@ static const vshCmdOptDef opts_snapshot_create_as[] = {
     {"domain", VSH_OT_DATA, VSH_OFLAG_REQ, N_("domain name, id or uuid")},
     {"name", VSH_OT_DATA, 0, N_("name of snapshot")},
     {"description", VSH_OT_DATA, 0, N_("description of snapshot")},
+    {"print-xml", VSH_OT_BOOL, 0, N_("print XML document rather than create")},
     {NULL, 0, 0, NULL}
 };
 
@@ -11186,6 +11187,12 @@ cmdSnapshotCreateAs(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (vshCommandOptBool(cmd, "print-xml")) {
+        vshPrint(ctl, "%s\n",  buffer);
+        ret = true;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     snapshot = virDomainSnapshotCreateXML(dom, buffer, 0);
     if (snapshot == NULL)
         goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tools/virsh.pod b/tools/virsh.pod
index b9c54de80c..023ab42d44 100644
--- a/tools/virsh.pod
+++ b/tools/virsh.pod
@@ -1422,11 +1422,13 @@ I<xmlfile>.  The only properties settable for a domain snapshot are the
 automatically filled in by libvirt.  If I<xmlfile> is completely omitted,
 then libvirt will choose a value for all fields.
 
-=item B<snapshot-create-as> I<domain> optional I<name> I<description>
+=item B<snapshot-create-as> I<domain> optional I<--print-xml>
+I<name> I<description>
 
 Create a snapshot for domain I<domain> with the given <name> and
 <description>; if either value is omitted, libvirt will choose a
-value.
+value.  If I<--print-xml> is specified, then XML appropriate for
+I<snapshot-create> is output, rather than actually creating a snapshot.
 
 =item B<snapshot-current> I<domain>