diff --git a/include/qom/object.h b/include/qom/object.h
index 73d72619b8..4c0645817a 100644
--- a/include/qom/object.h
+++ b/include/qom/object.h
@@ -2324,6 +2324,23 @@ object_class_property_add_alias(ObjectClass *klass, const char *name,
                                 const char *target_type,
                                 const char *target_name);
 
+/**
+ * object_property_set_alias:
+ * @obj: the object upon which to set the alias property
+ * @name: the name of the alias property
+ * @target_obj: the object to forward property access to
+ *
+ * Set an alias property on an object to point to @target_obj.  This is only
+ * required for class properties, and will assert at runtime if used on an
+ * object property.
+ *
+ * This function ensures that @target_obj stays alive as long as @obj exists
+ * by taking a reference if @target_obj is not a child object or an alias on
+ * the same object.
+ */
+void object_property_set_alias(Object *obj, const char *name,
+                               Object *target_obj);
+
 /**
  * object_property_add_const_link:
  * @obj: the object to add a property to
diff --git a/qom/object.c b/qom/object.c
index e4e8dc6886..96498f3d00 100644
--- a/qom/object.c
+++ b/qom/object.c
@@ -3126,6 +3126,18 @@ static void property_release_alias(Object *obj, const char *name, void *opaque)
     if (!(prop->flags & OBJ_PROP_ALIAS_CLASS)) {
         g_free(prop->target_name);
         g_free(prop);
+    } else {
+        Object **target_obj = object_alias_get_targetp(obj, prop);
+
+        if (*target_obj) {
+            ObjectProperty *target_prop = object_property_find_err(*target_obj,
+                                                           prop->target_name,
+                                                           &error_abort);
+            if (*target_obj != obj &&
+                !object_property_is_child(target_prop)) {
+                    object_unref(*target_obj);
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -3212,6 +3224,35 @@ object_class_property_add_alias(ObjectClass *klass, const char *name,
     return op;
 }
 
+void object_property_set_alias(Object *obj, const char *name,
+                               Object *target_obj)
+{
+    AliasProperty *prop;
+    ObjectProperty *op, *target_prop;
+    Object **target_objp;
+
+    op = object_property_find_err(obj, name, &error_abort);
+    prop = op->opaque;
+    assert(prop->flags & OBJ_PROP_ALIAS_CLASS);
+
+    target_objp = object_alias_get_targetp(obj, prop);
+    if (*target_objp) {
+        target_prop = object_property_find_err(*target_objp, prop->target_name,
+                                               &error_abort);
+        if (*target_objp != obj && !object_property_is_child(target_prop)) {
+            object_unref(*target_objp);
+        }
+    }
+    *target_objp = target_obj;
+    if (*target_objp) {
+        target_prop = object_property_find_err(*target_objp, prop->target_name,
+                                               &error_abort);
+        if (*target_objp != obj && !object_property_is_child(target_prop)) {
+            object_ref(*target_objp);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void object_property_set_description(Object *obj, const char *name,
                                      const char *description)
 {