diff --git a/include/migration/vmstate.h b/include/migration/vmstate.h
index 20db76fdf7..6666d27b25 100644
--- a/include/migration/vmstate.h
+++ b/include/migration/vmstate.h
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ struct VMStateDescription {
     const VMStateSubsection *subsections;
 };
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
+extern const VMStateDescription vmstate_dummy;
+#endif
+
 extern const VMStateInfo vmstate_info_bool;
 
 extern const VMStateInfo vmstate_info_int8;
diff --git a/stubs/vmstate.c b/stubs/vmstate.c
index 3682af599e..778bc3fc69 100644
--- a/stubs/vmstate.c
+++ b/stubs/vmstate.c
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #include "qemu-common.h"
 #include "migration/vmstate.h"
 
+const VMStateDescription vmstate_dummy = {};
+
 int vmstate_register_with_alias_id(DeviceState *dev,
                                    int instance_id,
                                    const VMStateDescription *vmsd,