diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 6c429cd593..210deeee7e 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -5635,11 +5635,15 @@ virDomainDefPostParseVideo(virDomainDefPtr def,
         return 0;
 
     if (def->videos[0]->type == VIR_DOMAIN_VIDEO_TYPE_NONE) {
+        char *alias;
+
         /* we don't want to format any values we automatically fill in for
-         * videos into the XML, so clear them
-         */
+         * videos into the XML, so clear them, but retain any user-assigned
+         * alias */
+        VIR_STEAL_PTR(alias, def->videos[0]->info.alias);
         virDomainVideoDefClear(def->videos[0]);
         def->videos[0]->type = VIR_DOMAIN_VIDEO_TYPE_NONE;
+        VIR_STEAL_PTR(def->videos[0]->info.alias, alias);
     } else {
         virDomainDeviceDef device = {
             .type = VIR_DOMAIN_DEVICE_VIDEO,
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/video-none-device.xml b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/video-none-device.xml
index 4b591562b7..c1c60c1d9e 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/video-none-device.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvdata/video-none-device.xml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
     <graphics type='vnc'/>
     <video>
       <model type='none'/>
+      <alias name='ua-user-video-alias'/>
     </video>
     <memballoon model='virtio'>
       <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/video-none-device.xml b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/video-none-device.xml
index 6e76b394fe..82615f5125 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/video-none-device.xml
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2xmloutdata/video-none-device.xml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
     </graphics>
     <video>
       <model type='none'/>
+      <alias name='ua-user-video-alias'/>
     </video>
     <memballoon model='virtio'>
       <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>