diff --git a/hmp-commands.hx b/hmp-commands.hx
index feca0847d0..f3fc514427 100644
--- a/hmp-commands.hx
+++ b/hmp-commands.hx
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ STEXI
 @item commit
 @findex commit
 Commit changes to the disk images (if -snapshot is used) or backing files.
+If the backing file is smaller than the snapshot, then the backing file will be
+resized to be the same size as the snapshot.  If the snapshot is smaller than
+the backing file, the backing file will not be truncated.  If you want the
+backing file to match the size of the smaller snapshot, you can safely truncate
+it yourself once the commit operation successfully completes.
 ETEXI
 
     {
diff --git a/qapi-schema.json b/qapi-schema.json
index e04949de52..1ff607ac3c 100644
--- a/qapi-schema.json
+++ b/qapi-schema.json
@@ -1994,6 +1994,13 @@
 #                    user needs to complete the job with the block-job-complete
 #                    command after getting the ready event. (Since 2.0)
 #
+#                    If the base image is smaller than top, then the base image
+#                    will be resized to be the same size as top.  If top is
+#                    smaller than the base image, the base will not be
+#                    truncated.  If you want the base image size to match the
+#                    size of the smaller top, you can safely truncate it
+#                    yourself once the commit operation successfully completes.
+#
 #
 # @speed:  #optional the maximum speed, in bytes per second
 #
diff --git a/qemu-img.texi b/qemu-img.texi
index f86a86d916..526d56a458 100644
--- a/qemu-img.texi
+++ b/qemu-img.texi
@@ -142,7 +142,12 @@ it doesn't need to be specified separately in this case.
 
 @item commit [-f @var{fmt}] [-t @var{cache}] @var{filename}
 
-Commit the changes recorded in @var{filename} in its base image.
+Commit the changes recorded in @var{filename} in its base image or backing file.
+If the backing file is smaller than the snapshot, then the backing file will be
+resized to be the same size as the snapshot.  If the snapshot is smaller than
+the backing file, the backing file will not be truncated.  If you want the
+backing file to match the size of the smaller snapshot, you can safely truncate
+it yourself once the commit operation successfully completes.
 
 @item compare [-f @var{fmt}] [-F @var{fmt}] [-p] [-s] [-q] @var{filename1} @var{filename2}
 
diff --git a/qmp-commands.hx b/qmp-commands.hx
index 4f2825017c..cce6b81da4 100644
--- a/qmp-commands.hx
+++ b/qmp-commands.hx
@@ -966,6 +966,45 @@ EQMP
         .mhandler.cmd_new = qmp_marshal_input_block_commit,
     },
 
+SQMP
+block-commit
+------------
+
+Live commit of data from overlay image nodes into backing nodes - i.e., writes
+data between 'top' and 'base' into 'base'.
+
+Arguments:
+
+- "device": The device's ID, must be unique (json-string)
+- "base": The file name of the backing image to write data into.
+          If not specified, this is the deepest backing image
+          (json-string, optional)
+- "top":  The file name of the backing image within the image chain,
+          which contains the topmost data to be committed down.
+
+          If top == base, that is an error.
+          If top == active, the job will not be completed by itself,
+          user needs to complete the job with the block-job-complete
+          command after getting the ready event. (Since 2.0)
+
+          If the base image is smaller than top, then the base image
+          will be resized to be the same size as top.  If top is
+          smaller than the base image, the base will not be
+          truncated.  If you want the base image size to match the
+          size of the smaller top, you can safely truncate it
+          yourself once the commit operation successfully completes.
+          (json-string)
+- "speed":  the maximum speed, in bytes per second (json-int, optional)
+
+
+Example:
+
+-> { "execute": "block-commit", "arguments": { "device": "virtio0",
+                                              "top": "/tmp/snap1.qcow2" } }
+<- { "return": {} }
+
+EQMP
+
     {
         .name       = "drive-backup",
         .args_type  = "sync:s,device:B,target:s,speed:i?,mode:s?,format:s?,"