diff --git a/hw/pci/pci.c b/hw/pci/pci.c
index d5e0e419c2..d50893002d 100644
--- a/hw/pci/pci.c
+++ b/hw/pci/pci.c
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ void pci_device_save(PCIDevice *s, QEMUFile *f)
      * This makes us compatible with old devices
      * which never set or clear this bit. */
     s->config[PCI_STATUS] &= ~PCI_STATUS_INTERRUPT;
-    vmstate_save_state(f, pci_get_vmstate(s), s);
+    vmstate_save_state(f, pci_get_vmstate(s), s, NULL);
     /* Restore the interrupt status bit. */
     pci_update_irq_status(s);
 }
diff --git a/hw/scsi/spapr_vscsi.c b/hw/scsi/spapr_vscsi.c
index 20b20f0bae..36392359e3 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/spapr_vscsi.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/spapr_vscsi.c
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ static void vscsi_save_request(QEMUFile *f, SCSIRequest *sreq)
     vscsi_req *req = sreq->hba_private;
     assert(req->active);
 
-    vmstate_save_state(f, &vmstate_spapr_vscsi_req, req);
+    vmstate_save_state(f, &vmstate_spapr_vscsi_req, req, NULL);
 
     DPRINTF("VSCSI: saving tag=%u, current desc#%d, offset=%x\n",
             req->qtag, req->cur_desc_num, req->cur_desc_offset);
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio.c b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
index 013979a6b8..d735343ca8 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@ void virtio_save(VirtIODevice *vdev, QEMUFile *f)
     }
 
     /* Subsections */
-    vmstate_save_state(f, &vmstate_virtio, vdev);
+    vmstate_save_state(f, &vmstate_virtio, vdev, NULL);
 }
 
 int virtio_set_features(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint32_t val)
diff --git a/include/migration/migration.h b/include/migration/migration.h
index 3cb5ba80c3..f37348b619 100644
--- a/include/migration/migration.h
+++ b/include/migration/migration.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #define QEMU_VM_SECTION_END          0x03
 #define QEMU_VM_SECTION_FULL         0x04
 #define QEMU_VM_SUBSECTION           0x05
+#define QEMU_VM_VMDESCRIPTION        0x06
 
 struct MigrationParams {
     bool blk;
diff --git a/include/migration/vmstate.h b/include/migration/vmstate.h
index fa307a6c0f..0b26bc68dd 100644
--- a/include/migration/vmstate.h
+++ b/include/migration/vmstate.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
 #include <migration/qemu-file.h>
 #endif
+#include <qjson.h>
 
 typedef void SaveStateHandler(QEMUFile *f, void *opaque);
 typedef int LoadStateHandler(QEMUFile *f, void *opaque, int version_id);
@@ -801,7 +802,7 @@ extern const VMStateInfo vmstate_info_bitmap;
 int vmstate_load_state(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
                        void *opaque, int version_id);
 void vmstate_save_state(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
-                        void *opaque);
+                        void *opaque, QJSON *vmdesc);
 
 int vmstate_register_with_alias_id(DeviceState *dev, int instance_id,
                                    const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
diff --git a/migration/vmstate.c b/migration/vmstate.c
index dae5dd63af..e5388f0596 100644
--- a/migration/vmstate.c
+++ b/migration/vmstate.c
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
 #include "qemu/bitops.h"
 #include "qemu/error-report.h"
 #include "trace.h"
+#include "qjson.h"
 
 static void vmstate_subsection_save(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
-                                    void *opaque);
+                                    void *opaque, QJSON *vmdesc);
 static int vmstate_subsection_load(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
                                    void *opaque);
 
@@ -146,32 +147,181 @@ int vmstate_load_state(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
     return ret;
 }
 
+static int vmfield_name_num(VMStateField *start, VMStateField *search)
+{
+    VMStateField *field;
+    int found = 0;
+
+    for (field = start; field->name; field++) {
+        if (!strcmp(field->name, search->name)) {
+            if (field == search) {
+                return found;
+            }
+            found++;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return -1;
+}
+
+static bool vmfield_name_is_unique(VMStateField *start, VMStateField *search)
+{
+    VMStateField *field;
+    int found = 0;
+
+    for (field = start; field->name; field++) {
+        if (!strcmp(field->name, search->name)) {
+            found++;
+            /* name found more than once, so it's not unique */
+            if (found > 1) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+static const char *vmfield_get_type_name(VMStateField *field)
+{
+    const char *type = "unknown";
+
+    if (field->flags & VMS_STRUCT) {
+        type = "struct";
+    } else if (field->info->name) {
+        type = field->info->name;
+    }
+
+    return type;
+}
+
+static bool vmsd_can_compress(VMStateField *field)
+{
+    if (field->field_exists) {
+        /* Dynamically existing fields mess up compression */
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (field->flags & VMS_STRUCT) {
+        VMStateField *sfield = field->vmsd->fields;
+        while (sfield->name) {
+            if (!vmsd_can_compress(sfield)) {
+                /* Child elements can't compress, so can't we */
+                return false;
+            }
+            sfield++;
+        }
+
+        if (field->vmsd->subsections) {
+            /* Subsections may come and go, better don't compress */
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+static void vmsd_desc_field_start(const VMStateDescription *vmsd, QJSON *vmdesc,
+                                  VMStateField *field, int i, int max)
+{
+    char *name, *old_name;
+    bool is_array = max > 1;
+    bool can_compress = vmsd_can_compress(field);
+
+    if (!vmdesc) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    name = g_strdup(field->name);
+
+    /* Field name is not unique, need to make it unique */
+    if (!vmfield_name_is_unique(vmsd->fields, field)) {
+        int num = vmfield_name_num(vmsd->fields, field);
+        old_name = name;
+        name = g_strdup_printf("%s[%d]", name, num);
+        g_free(old_name);
+    }
+
+    json_start_object(vmdesc, NULL);
+    json_prop_str(vmdesc, "name", name);
+    if (is_array) {
+        if (can_compress) {
+            json_prop_int(vmdesc, "array_len", max);
+        } else {
+            json_prop_int(vmdesc, "index", i);
+        }
+    }
+    json_prop_str(vmdesc, "type", vmfield_get_type_name(field));
+
+    if (field->flags & VMS_STRUCT) {
+        json_start_object(vmdesc, "struct");
+    }
+
+    g_free(name);
+}
+
+static void vmsd_desc_field_end(const VMStateDescription *vmsd, QJSON *vmdesc,
+                                VMStateField *field, size_t size, int i)
+{
+    if (!vmdesc) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (field->flags & VMS_STRUCT) {
+        /* We printed a struct in between, close its child object */
+        json_end_object(vmdesc);
+    }
+
+    json_prop_int(vmdesc, "size", size);
+    json_end_object(vmdesc);
+}
+
 void vmstate_save_state(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
-                        void *opaque)
+                        void *opaque, QJSON *vmdesc)
 {
     VMStateField *field = vmsd->fields;
 
     if (vmsd->pre_save) {
         vmsd->pre_save(opaque);
     }
+
+    if (vmdesc) {
+        json_prop_str(vmdesc, "vmsd_name", vmsd->name);
+        json_prop_int(vmdesc, "version", vmsd->version_id);
+        json_start_array(vmdesc, "fields");
+    }
+
     while (field->name) {
         if (!field->field_exists ||
             field->field_exists(opaque, vmsd->version_id)) {
             void *base_addr = vmstate_base_addr(opaque, field, false);
             int i, n_elems = vmstate_n_elems(opaque, field);
             int size = vmstate_size(opaque, field);
+            int64_t old_offset, written_bytes;
+            QJSON *vmdesc_loop = vmdesc;
 
             for (i = 0; i < n_elems; i++) {
                 void *addr = base_addr + size * i;
 
+                vmsd_desc_field_start(vmsd, vmdesc_loop, field, i, n_elems);
+                old_offset = qemu_ftell_fast(f);
+
                 if (field->flags & VMS_ARRAY_OF_POINTER) {
                     addr = *(void **)addr;
                 }
                 if (field->flags & VMS_STRUCT) {
-                    vmstate_save_state(f, field->vmsd, addr);
+                    vmstate_save_state(f, field->vmsd, addr, vmdesc_loop);
                 } else {
                     field->info->put(f, addr, size);
                 }
+
+                written_bytes = qemu_ftell_fast(f) - old_offset;
+                vmsd_desc_field_end(vmsd, vmdesc_loop, field, written_bytes, i);
+
+                /* Compressed arrays only care about the first element */
+                if (vmdesc_loop && vmsd_can_compress(field)) {
+                    vmdesc_loop = NULL;
+                }
             }
         } else {
             if (field->flags & VMS_MUST_EXIST) {
@@ -182,7 +332,12 @@ void vmstate_save_state(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
         }
         field++;
     }
-    vmstate_subsection_save(f, vmsd, opaque);
+
+    if (vmdesc) {
+        json_end_array(vmdesc);
+    }
+
+    vmstate_subsection_save(f, vmsd, opaque, vmdesc);
 }
 
 static const VMStateDescription *
@@ -248,24 +403,43 @@ static int vmstate_subsection_load(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
 }
 
 static void vmstate_subsection_save(QEMUFile *f, const VMStateDescription *vmsd,
-                                    void *opaque)
+                                    void *opaque, QJSON *vmdesc)
 {
     const VMStateSubsection *sub = vmsd->subsections;
+    bool subsection_found = false;
 
     while (sub && sub->needed) {
         if (sub->needed(opaque)) {
             const VMStateDescription *vmsd = sub->vmsd;
             uint8_t len;
 
+            if (vmdesc) {
+                /* Only create subsection array when we have any */
+                if (!subsection_found) {
+                    json_start_array(vmdesc, "subsections");
+                    subsection_found = true;
+                }
+
+                json_start_object(vmdesc, NULL);
+            }
+
             qemu_put_byte(f, QEMU_VM_SUBSECTION);
             len = strlen(vmsd->name);
             qemu_put_byte(f, len);
             qemu_put_buffer(f, (uint8_t *)vmsd->name, len);
             qemu_put_be32(f, vmsd->version_id);
-            vmstate_save_state(f, vmsd, opaque);
+            vmstate_save_state(f, vmsd, opaque, vmdesc);
+
+            if (vmdesc) {
+                json_end_object(vmdesc);
+            }
         }
         sub++;
     }
+
+    if (vmdesc && subsection_found) {
+        json_end_array(vmdesc);
+    }
 }
 
 /* bool */
diff --git a/savevm.c b/savevm.c
index 98895fee81..80407662ad 100644
--- a/savevm.c
+++ b/savevm.c
@@ -572,14 +572,34 @@ static int vmstate_load(QEMUFile *f, SaveStateEntry *se, int version_id)
     return vmstate_load_state(f, se->vmsd, se->opaque, version_id);
 }
 
-static void vmstate_save(QEMUFile *f, SaveStateEntry *se)
+static void vmstate_save_old_style(QEMUFile *f, SaveStateEntry *se, QJSON *vmdesc)
+{
+    int64_t old_offset, size;
+
+    old_offset = qemu_ftell_fast(f);
+    se->ops->save_state(f, se->opaque);
+    size = qemu_ftell_fast(f) - old_offset;
+
+    if (vmdesc) {
+        json_prop_int(vmdesc, "size", size);
+        json_start_array(vmdesc, "fields");
+        json_start_object(vmdesc, NULL);
+        json_prop_str(vmdesc, "name", "data");
+        json_prop_int(vmdesc, "size", size);
+        json_prop_str(vmdesc, "type", "buffer");
+        json_end_object(vmdesc);
+        json_end_array(vmdesc);
+    }
+}
+
+static void vmstate_save(QEMUFile *f, SaveStateEntry *se, QJSON *vmdesc)
 {
     trace_vmstate_save(se->idstr, se->vmsd ? se->vmsd->name : "(old)");
-    if (!se->vmsd) {         /* Old style */
-        se->ops->save_state(f, se->opaque);
+    if (!se->vmsd) {
+        vmstate_save_old_style(f, se, vmdesc);
         return;
     }
-    vmstate_save_state(f, se->vmsd, se->opaque);
+    vmstate_save_state(f, se->vmsd, se->opaque, vmdesc);
 }
 
 bool qemu_savevm_state_blocked(Error **errp)
@@ -692,6 +712,8 @@ int qemu_savevm_state_iterate(QEMUFile *f)
 
 void qemu_savevm_state_complete(QEMUFile *f)
 {
+    QJSON *vmdesc;
+    int vmdesc_len;
     SaveStateEntry *se;
     int ret;
 
@@ -721,6 +743,9 @@ void qemu_savevm_state_complete(QEMUFile *f)
         }
     }
 
+    vmdesc = qjson_new();
+    json_prop_int(vmdesc, "page_size", TARGET_PAGE_SIZE);
+    json_start_array(vmdesc, "devices");
     QTAILQ_FOREACH(se, &savevm_handlers, entry) {
         int len;
 
@@ -728,6 +753,11 @@ void qemu_savevm_state_complete(QEMUFile *f)
             continue;
         }
         trace_savevm_section_start(se->idstr, se->section_id);
+
+        json_start_object(vmdesc, NULL);
+        json_prop_str(vmdesc, "name", se->idstr);
+        json_prop_int(vmdesc, "instance_id", se->instance_id);
+
         /* Section type */
         qemu_put_byte(f, QEMU_VM_SECTION_FULL);
         qemu_put_be32(f, se->section_id);
@@ -740,11 +770,23 @@ void qemu_savevm_state_complete(QEMUFile *f)
         qemu_put_be32(f, se->instance_id);
         qemu_put_be32(f, se->version_id);
 
-        vmstate_save(f, se);
+        vmstate_save(f, se, vmdesc);
+
+        json_end_object(vmdesc);
         trace_savevm_section_end(se->idstr, se->section_id, 0);
     }
 
     qemu_put_byte(f, QEMU_VM_EOF);
+
+    json_end_array(vmdesc);
+    qjson_finish(vmdesc);
+    vmdesc_len = strlen(qjson_get_str(vmdesc));
+
+    qemu_put_byte(f, QEMU_VM_VMDESCRIPTION);
+    qemu_put_be32(f, vmdesc_len);
+    qemu_put_buffer(f, (uint8_t *)qjson_get_str(vmdesc), vmdesc_len);
+    object_unref(OBJECT(vmdesc));
+
     qemu_fflush(f);
 }
 
@@ -843,7 +885,7 @@ static int qemu_save_device_state(QEMUFile *f)
         qemu_put_be32(f, se->instance_id);
         qemu_put_be32(f, se->version_id);
 
-        vmstate_save(f, se);
+        vmstate_save(f, se, NULL);
     }
 
     qemu_put_byte(f, QEMU_VM_EOF);
diff --git a/tests/Makefile b/tests/Makefile
index db5b3c3df1..5caccf765a 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile
+++ b/tests/Makefile
@@ -266,7 +266,8 @@ tests/test-qdev-global-props$(EXESUF): tests/test-qdev-global-props.o \
 	libqemuutil.a libqemustub.a
 tests/test-vmstate$(EXESUF): tests/test-vmstate.o \
 	migration/vmstate.o migration/qemu-file.o migration/qemu-file-buf.o \
-        migration/qemu-file-unix.o \
+        migration/qemu-file-unix.o qjson.o \
+	$(qom-core-obj) \
 	libqemuutil.a libqemustub.a
 
 tests/test-qapi-types.c tests/test-qapi-types.h :\
diff --git a/tests/test-vmstate.c b/tests/test-vmstate.c
index 39b7b01734..1d620e04fb 100644
--- a/tests/test-vmstate.c
+++ b/tests/test-vmstate.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ static void save_vmstate(const VMStateDescription *desc, void *obj)
     QEMUFile *f = open_test_file(true);
 
     /* Save file with vmstate */
-    vmstate_save_state(f, desc, obj);
+    vmstate_save_state(f, desc, obj, NULL);
     qemu_put_byte(f, QEMU_VM_EOF);
     g_assert(!qemu_file_get_error(f));
     qemu_fclose(f);
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ static void test_save_noskip(void)
     QEMUFile *fsave = qemu_bufopen("w", NULL);
     TestStruct obj = { .a = 1, .b = 2, .c = 3, .d = 4, .e = 5, .f = 6,
                        .skip_c_e = false };
-    vmstate_save_state(fsave, &vmstate_skipping, &obj);
+    vmstate_save_state(fsave, &vmstate_skipping, &obj, NULL);
     g_assert(!qemu_file_get_error(fsave));
 
     uint8_t expected[] = {
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ static void test_save_skip(void)
     QEMUFile *fsave = qemu_bufopen("w", NULL);
     TestStruct obj = { .a = 1, .b = 2, .c = 3, .d = 4, .e = 5, .f = 6,
                        .skip_c_e = true };
-    vmstate_save_state(fsave, &vmstate_skipping, &obj);
+    vmstate_save_state(fsave, &vmstate_skipping, &obj, NULL);
     g_assert(!qemu_file_get_error(fsave));
 
     uint8_t expected[] = {