diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 1c170b6ded..948c7b58aa 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -2204,6 +2204,7 @@ virProcessWait;
 
 # util/virqemu.h
 virQEMUBuildBufferEscapeComma;
+virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSON;
 virQEMUBuildLuksOpts;
 virQEMUBuildObjectCommandlineFromJSON;
 
diff --git a/src/util/virqemu.c b/src/util/virqemu.c
index 7d181e19d3..a5d53852bd 100644
--- a/src/util/virqemu.c
+++ b/src/util/virqemu.c
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ VIR_LOG_INIT("util.qemu");
 
 
 static int
-virQEMUBuildObjectCommandLinePropsInternal(const char *key,
-                                           const virJSONValue *value,
-                                           virBufferPtr buf,
-                                           bool nested)
+virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSONRecurse(const char *key,
+                                   const virJSONValue *value,
+                                   virBufferPtr buf,
+                                   bool nested)
 {
     virJSONValuePtr elem;
     virBitmapPtr bitmap = NULL;
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ virQEMUBuildObjectCommandLinePropsInternal(const char *key,
     case VIR_JSON_TYPE_ARRAY:
         if (nested) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
-                           _("nested -object property arrays are not supported"));
+                           _("nested JSON array to commandline conversion is "
+                             "not supported"));
             return -1;
         }
 
@@ -87,8 +88,7 @@ virQEMUBuildObjectCommandLinePropsInternal(const char *key,
                 elem = virJSONValueArrayGet((virJSONValuePtr)value, i);
 
                 /* recurse to avoid duplicating code */
-                if (virQEMUBuildObjectCommandLinePropsInternal(key, elem, buf,
-                                                               true) < 0)
+                if (virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSONRecurse(key, elem, buf, true) < 0)
                     return -1;
             }
         }
@@ -108,11 +108,34 @@ virQEMUBuildObjectCommandLinePropsInternal(const char *key,
 
 
 static int
-virQEMUBuildObjectCommandLineProps(const char *key,
+virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSONIterate(const char *key,
                                    const virJSONValue *value,
                                    void *opaque)
 {
-    return virQEMUBuildObjectCommandLinePropsInternal(key, value, opaque, false);
+    return virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSONRecurse(key, value, opaque, false);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSON:
+ * @value: json object containing the value
+ * @buf: otuput buffer
+ *
+ * Formats JSON value object into command line parameters suitable for use with
+ * qemu.
+ *
+ * Returns 0 on success -1 on error.
+ */
+int
+virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSON(const virJSONValue *value,
+                            virBufferPtr buf)
+{
+    if (virJSONValueObjectForeachKeyValue(value,
+                                          virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSONIterate,
+                                          buf) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -126,9 +149,7 @@ virQEMUBuildObjectCommandlineFromJSON(const char *type,
 
     virBufferAsprintf(&buf, "%s,id=%s", type, alias);
 
-    if (virJSONValueObjectForeachKeyValue(props,
-                                          virQEMUBuildObjectCommandLineProps,
-                                          &buf) < 0)
+    if (virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSON(props, &buf) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
 
     if (virBufferCheckError(&buf) < 0)
diff --git a/src/util/virqemu.h b/src/util/virqemu.h
index eb75d1b287..efc6c42c4d 100644
--- a/src/util/virqemu.h
+++ b/src/util/virqemu.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 # include "virjson.h"
 # include "virstorageencryption.h"
 
+int virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSON(const virJSONValue *value,
+                                virBufferPtr buf);
+
 char *virQEMUBuildObjectCommandlineFromJSON(const char *type,
                                             const char *alias,
                                             virJSONValuePtr props);
diff --git a/tests/qemucommandutiltest.c b/tests/qemucommandutiltest.c
index c02d1db1b4..21fef1c458 100644
--- a/tests/qemucommandutiltest.c
+++ b/tests/qemucommandutiltest.c
@@ -33,11 +33,12 @@ typedef struct
 } testQemuCommandBuildObjectFromJSONData;
 
 static int
-testQemuCommandBuildObjectFromJSON(const void *opaque)
+testQemuCommandBuildFromJSON(const void *opaque)
 {
     const testQemuCommandBuildObjectFromJSONData *data = opaque;
     virJSONValuePtr val = NULL;
     char *expect = NULL;
+    virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     char *result = NULL;
     int ret = -1;
 
@@ -46,13 +47,18 @@ testQemuCommandBuildObjectFromJSON(const void *opaque)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    if (virAsprintf(&expect, "testobject,id=testalias%s%s",
-                    data->expectprops ? "," : "",
-                    data->expectprops ? data->expectprops : "") < 0)
+    if (data->expectprops &&
+        virAsprintf(&expect, ",%s", data->expectprops) < 0)
         return -1;
 
-    result = virQEMUBuildObjectCommandlineFromJSON("testobject",
-                                                   "testalias", val);
+    if (virQEMUBuildCommandLineJSON(val, &buf) < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr,
+                "\nvirQEMUBuildCommandlineJSON failed process JSON:\n%s\n",
+                data->props);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    result = virBufferContentAndReset(&buf);
 
     if (STRNEQ_NULLABLE(expect, result)) {
         fprintf(stderr, "\nFailed to create object string. "
@@ -80,14 +86,14 @@ mymain(void)
     return EXIT_AM_SKIP;
 #endif
 
-    virTestCounterReset("testQemuCommandBuildObjectFromJSON");
+    virTestCounterReset("testQemuCommandBuildFromJSON");
 
 #define DO_TEST_COMMAND_OBJECT_FROM_JSON(PROPS, EXPECT)             \
     do {                                                            \
         data1.props = PROPS;                                        \
         data1.expectprops = EXPECT;                                 \
         if (virTestRun(virTestCounterNext(),                        \
-                       testQemuCommandBuildObjectFromJSON,          \
+                       testQemuCommandBuildFromJSON,                \
                        &data1) < 0)                                 \
             ret = -1;                                               \
      } while (0)