diff --git a/chardev/char-fe.c b/chardev/char-fe.c
index 7789f7be9c..20222a4cad 100644
--- a/chardev/char-fe.c
+++ b/chardev/char-fe.c
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ bool qemu_chr_fe_init(CharBackend *b, Chardev *s, Error **errp)
         }
     }
 
-    b->fe_open = false;
+    b->fe_is_open = false;
     b->tag = tag;
     b->chr = s;
     return true;
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_set_handlers_full(CharBackend *b,
                                    bool sync_state)
 {
     Chardev *s;
-    int fe_open;
+    bool fe_open;
 
     s = b->chr;
     if (!s) {
@@ -265,10 +265,10 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_set_handlers_full(CharBackend *b,
     }
 
     if (!opaque && !fd_can_read && !fd_read && !fd_event) {
-        fe_open = 0;
+        fe_open = false;
         remove_fd_in_watch(s);
     } else {
-        fe_open = 1;
+        fe_open = true;
     }
     b->chr_can_read = fd_can_read;
     b->chr_read = fd_read;
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_set_echo(CharBackend *be, bool echo)
     }
 }
 
-void qemu_chr_fe_set_open(CharBackend *be, int fe_open)
+void qemu_chr_fe_set_open(CharBackend *be, bool is_open)
 {
     Chardev *chr = be->chr;
 
@@ -344,12 +344,12 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_set_open(CharBackend *be, int fe_open)
         return;
     }
 
-    if (be->fe_open == fe_open) {
+    if (be->fe_is_open == is_open) {
         return;
     }
-    be->fe_open = fe_open;
+    be->fe_is_open = is_open;
     if (CHARDEV_GET_CLASS(chr)->chr_set_fe_open) {
-        CHARDEV_GET_CLASS(chr)->chr_set_fe_open(chr, fe_open);
+        CHARDEV_GET_CLASS(chr)->chr_set_fe_open(chr, is_open);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/chardev/char.c b/chardev/char.c
index 185b5ea255..3c43fb1278 100644
--- a/chardev/char.c
+++ b/chardev/char.c
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ static int qmp_query_chardev_foreach(Object *obj, void *data)
 
     value->label = g_strdup(chr->label);
     value->filename = g_strdup(chr->filename);
-    value->frontend_open = chr->be && chr->be->fe_open;
+    value->frontend_open = chr->be && chr->be->fe_is_open;
 
     QAPI_LIST_PREPEND(*list, value);
 
diff --git a/include/chardev/char-fe.h b/include/chardev/char-fe.h
index 0ff6f87511..ecef182835 100644
--- a/include/chardev/char-fe.h
+++ b/include/chardev/char-fe.h
@@ -7,8 +7,12 @@
 typedef void IOEventHandler(void *opaque, QEMUChrEvent event);
 typedef int BackendChangeHandler(void *opaque);
 
-/* This is the backend as seen by frontend, the actual backend is
- * Chardev */
+/**
+ * struct CharBackend - back end as seen by front end
+ * @fe_is_open: the front end is ready for IO
+ *
+ * The actual backend is Chardev
+ */
 struct CharBackend {
     Chardev *chr;
     IOEventHandler *chr_event;
@@ -17,7 +21,7 @@ struct CharBackend {
     BackendChangeHandler *chr_be_change;
     void *opaque;
     int tag;
-    int fe_open;
+    bool fe_is_open;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -156,12 +160,13 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_set_echo(CharBackend *be, bool echo);
 
 /**
  * qemu_chr_fe_set_open:
+ * @be: a CharBackend
+ * @is_open: the front end open status
  *
- * Set character frontend open status.  This is an indication that the
- * front end is ready (or not) to begin doing I/O.
- * Without associated Chardev, do nothing.
+ * This is an indication that the front end is ready (or not) to begin
+ * doing I/O. Without associated Chardev, do nothing.
  */
-void qemu_chr_fe_set_open(CharBackend *be, int fe_open);
+void qemu_chr_fe_set_open(CharBackend *be, bool is_open);
 
 /**
  * qemu_chr_fe_printf: