diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
index 6e0cdca85d..b29672d4f1 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@
 # include "libvirt_qemu_probes.h"
 #endif
 
+#define __QEMU_MONITOR_PRIV_H_ALLOW__
+#include "qemu_monitor_priv.h"
+
 #define VIR_FROM_THIS VIR_FROM_QEMU
 
 VIR_LOG_INIT("qemu.qemu_monitor");
@@ -1046,6 +1049,14 @@ qemuMonitorNextCommandID(qemuMonitorPtr mon)
 }
 
 
+/* for use only in the test suite */
+void
+qemuMonitorResetCommandID(qemuMonitorPtr mon)
+{
+    mon->nextSerial = 0;
+}
+
+
 int
 qemuMonitorSend(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                 qemuMonitorMessagePtr msg)
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_priv.h b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_priv.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..45bda27c0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_priv.h
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*
+ * qemu_monitor_priv.h: interaction with QEMU monitor console (private)
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library.  If not, see
+ * <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#ifndef __QEMU_MONITOR_PRIV_H_ALLOW__
+# error "qemu_monitor_priv.h may only be included by qemu_monitor.c or test suites"
+#endif
+
+#ifndef __QEMU_MONITOR_PRIV_H__
+# define __QEMU_MONITOR_PRIV_H__
+
+# include "qemu_monitor.h"
+
+void
+qemuMonitorResetCommandID(qemuMonitorPtr mon);
+
+#endif