diff --git a/hmp.c b/hmp.c
index d85d913a79..97d9c2c05f 100644
--- a/hmp.c
+++ b/hmp.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void hmp_info_version(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
     info = qmp_query_version(NULL);
 
     monitor_printf(mon, "%" PRId64 ".%" PRId64 ".%" PRId64 "%s\n",
-                   info->qemu.major, info->qemu.minor, info->qemu.micro,
+                   info->qemu->major, info->qemu->minor, info->qemu->micro,
                    info->package);
 
     qapi_free_VersionInfo(info);
diff --git a/qapi/common.json b/qapi/common.json
index 12431c691b..bad56bf688 100644
--- a/qapi/common.json
+++ b/qapi/common.json
@@ -28,16 +28,29 @@
   'data': [ 'GenericError', 'CommandNotFound', 'DeviceEncrypted',
             'DeviceNotActive', 'DeviceNotFound', 'KVMMissingCap' ] }
 
+##
+# @VersionTriple
+#
+# A three-part version number.
+#
+# @qemu.major:  The major version number.
+#
+# @qemu.minor:  The minor version number.
+#
+# @qemu.micro:  The micro version number.
+#
+# Since: 2.4
+##
+{ 'struct': 'VersionTriple',
+  'data': {'major': 'int', 'minor': 'int', 'micro': 'int'} }
+
+
 ##
 # @VersionInfo:
 #
 # A description of QEMU's version.
 #
-# @qemu.major:  The major version of QEMU
-#
-# @qemu.minor:  The minor version of QEMU
-#
-# @qemu.micro:  The micro version of QEMU.  By current convention, a micro
+# @qemu:        The version of QEMU.  By current convention, a micro
 #               version of 50 signifies a development branch.  A micro version
 #               greater than or equal to 90 signifies a release candidate for
 #               the next minor version.  A micro version of less than 50
@@ -51,8 +64,7 @@
 # Since: 0.14.0
 ##
 { 'struct': 'VersionInfo',
-  'data': {'qemu': {'major': 'int', 'minor': 'int', 'micro': 'int'},
-           'package': 'str'} }
+  'data': {'qemu': 'VersionTriple', 'package': 'str'} }
 
 ##
 # @query-version:
diff --git a/qmp.c b/qmp.c
index e6c70504df..3f5dfe3f51 100644
--- a/qmp.c
+++ b/qmp.c
@@ -45,15 +45,16 @@ NameInfo *qmp_query_name(Error **errp)
 
 VersionInfo *qmp_query_version(Error **errp)
 {
-    VersionInfo *info = g_malloc0(sizeof(*info));
+    VersionInfo *info = g_new0(VersionInfo, 1);
     const char *version = QEMU_VERSION;
     char *tmp;
 
-    info->qemu.major = strtol(version, &tmp, 10);
+    info->qemu = g_new0(VersionTriple, 1);
+    info->qemu->major = strtol(version, &tmp, 10);
     tmp++;
-    info->qemu.minor = strtol(tmp, &tmp, 10);
+    info->qemu->minor = strtol(tmp, &tmp, 10);
     tmp++;
-    info->qemu.micro = strtol(tmp, &tmp, 10);
+    info->qemu->micro = strtol(tmp, &tmp, 10);
     info->package = g_strdup(QEMU_PKGVERSION);
 
     return info;