diff --git a/net/clients.h b/net/clients.h
index d47530e82f..5cae479730 100644
--- a/net/clients.h
+++ b/net/clients.h
@@ -27,39 +27,39 @@
 #include "net/net.h"
 #include "qapi-types.h"
 
-int net_init_dump(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_dump(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                   NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SLIRP
-int net_init_slirp(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_slirp(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                    NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 #endif
 
-int net_init_hubport(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_hubport(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                      NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 
-int net_init_socket(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_socket(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                     NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 
-int net_init_tap(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_tap(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                  NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 
-int net_init_bridge(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_bridge(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                     NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 
-int net_init_l2tpv3(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_l2tpv3(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                     NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 #ifdef CONFIG_VDE
-int net_init_vde(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_vde(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                  NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 #endif
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NETMAP
-int net_init_netmap(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_netmap(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                     NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 #endif
 
-int net_init_vhost_user(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_vhost_user(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                         NetClientState *peer, Error **errp);
 
 #endif /* QEMU_NET_CLIENTS_H */
diff --git a/net/dump.c b/net/dump.c
index 41f7673efd..f8a500f715 100644
--- a/net/dump.c
+++ b/net/dump.c
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ static NetClientInfo net_dump_info = {
     .cleanup = dumpclient_cleanup,
 };
 
-int net_init_dump(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_dump(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                   NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     int len, rc;
@@ -189,8 +189,8 @@ int net_init_dump(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
     NetClientState *nc;
     DumpNetClient *dnc;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_DUMP);
-    dump = opts->u.dump.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_DUMP);
+    dump = netdev->opts->u.dump.data;
 
     assert(peer);
 
diff --git a/net/hub.c b/net/hub.c
index 6d90c6ee67..ec4626f2c0 100644
--- a/net/hub.c
+++ b/net/hub.c
@@ -281,14 +281,14 @@ int net_hub_id_for_client(NetClientState *nc, int *id)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int net_init_hubport(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_hubport(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                      NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     const NetdevHubPortOptions *hubport;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_HUBPORT);
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_HUBPORT);
     assert(!peer);
-    hubport = opts->u.hubport.data;
+    hubport = netdev->opts->u.hubport.data;
 
     net_hub_add_port(hubport->hubid, name);
     return 0;
diff --git a/net/l2tpv3.c b/net/l2tpv3.c
index 5c668f7376..df02f5bdcc 100644
--- a/net/l2tpv3.c
+++ b/net/l2tpv3.c
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ static NetClientInfo net_l2tpv3_info = {
     .cleanup = net_l2tpv3_cleanup,
 };
 
-int net_init_l2tpv3(const NetClientOptions *opts,
+int net_init_l2tpv3(const Netdev *netdev,
                     const char *name,
                     NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
@@ -545,8 +545,8 @@ int net_init_l2tpv3(const NetClientOptions *opts,
     s->queue_tail = 0;
     s->header_mismatch = false;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_L2TPV3);
-    l2tpv3 = opts->u.l2tpv3.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_L2TPV3);
+    l2tpv3 = netdev->opts->u.l2tpv3.data;
 
     if (l2tpv3->has_ipv6 && l2tpv3->ipv6) {
         s->ipv6 = l2tpv3->ipv6;
diff --git a/net/net.c b/net/net.c
index 019aaad0fc..d80fd82210 100644
--- a/net/net.c
+++ b/net/net.c
@@ -862,15 +862,15 @@ int qemu_find_nic_model(NICInfo *nd, const char * const *models,
     return -1;
 }
 
-static int net_init_nic(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+static int net_init_nic(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                         NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     int idx;
     NICInfo *nd;
     const NetLegacyNicOptions *nic;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_NIC);
-    nic = opts->u.nic.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_NIC);
+    nic = netdev->opts->u.nic.data;
 
     idx = nic_get_free_idx();
     if (idx == -1 || nb_nics >= MAX_NICS) {
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ static int net_init_nic(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
 
 
 static int (* const net_client_init_fun[NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND__MAX])(
-    const NetClientOptions *opts,
+    const Netdev *netdev,
     const char *name,
     NetClientState *peer, Error **errp) = {
         [NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_NIC]       = net_init_nic,
@@ -963,11 +963,13 @@ static int (* const net_client_init_fun[NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND__MAX])(
 static int net_client_init1(const void *object, int is_netdev, Error **errp)
 {
     const NetClientOptions *opts;
+    Netdev legacy = {0};
+    const Netdev *netdev;
     const char *name;
     NetClientState *peer = NULL;
 
     if (is_netdev) {
-        const Netdev *netdev = object;
+        netdev = object;
         opts = netdev->opts;
         name = netdev->id;
 
@@ -980,7 +982,9 @@ static int net_client_init1(const void *object, int is_netdev, Error **errp)
         }
     } else {
         const NetLegacy *net = object;
-        opts = net->opts;
+        legacy.id = net->id;
+        opts = legacy.opts = net->opts;
+        netdev = &legacy;
         /* missing optional values have been initialized to "all bits zero" */
         name = net->has_id ? net->id : net->name;
 
@@ -1007,7 +1011,7 @@ static int net_client_init1(const void *object, int is_netdev, Error **errp)
         }
     }
 
-    if (net_client_init_fun[opts->type](opts, name, peer, errp) < 0) {
+    if (net_client_init_fun[opts->type](netdev, name, peer, errp) < 0) {
         /* FIXME drop when all init functions store an Error */
         if (errp && !*errp) {
             error_setg(errp, QERR_DEVICE_INIT_FAILED,
diff --git a/net/netmap.c b/net/netmap.c
index 64967b947e..beb8d2841c 100644
--- a/net/netmap.c
+++ b/net/netmap.c
@@ -418,10 +418,10 @@ static NetClientInfo net_netmap_info = {
  *
  * ... -net netmap,ifname="..."
  */
-int net_init_netmap(const NetClientOptions *opts,
+int net_init_netmap(const Netdev *netdev,
                     const char *name, NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
-    const NetdevNetmapOptions *netmap_opts = opts->u.netmap.data;
+    const NetdevNetmapOptions *netmap_opts = netdev->opts->u.netmap.data;
     struct nm_desc *nmd;
     NetClientState *nc;
     Error *err = NULL;
diff --git a/net/slirp.c b/net/slirp.c
index 28207b6614..ca34badb76 100644
--- a/net/slirp.c
+++ b/net/slirp.c
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ static const char **slirp_dnssearch(const StringList *dnsname)
     return ret;
 }
 
-int net_init_slirp(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_slirp(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                    NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     /* FIXME error_setg(errp, ...) on failure */
@@ -839,8 +839,8 @@ int net_init_slirp(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
     const char **dnssearch;
     bool ipv4 = true, ipv6 = true;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_USER);
-    user = opts->u.user.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_USER);
+    user = netdev->opts->u.user.data;
 
     if ((user->has_ipv6 && user->ipv6 && !user->has_ipv4) ||
         (user->has_ipv4 && !user->ipv4)) {
diff --git a/net/socket.c b/net/socket.c
index ae6f92101d..6e5c902ea9 100644
--- a/net/socket.c
+++ b/net/socket.c
@@ -663,15 +663,15 @@ static int net_socket_udp_init(NetClientState *peer,
     return 0;
 }
 
-int net_init_socket(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_socket(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                     NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     /* FIXME error_setg(errp, ...) on failure */
     Error *err = NULL;
     const NetdevSocketOptions *sock;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_SOCKET);
-    sock = opts->u.socket.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_SOCKET);
+    sock = netdev->opts->u.socket.data;
 
     if (sock->has_fd + sock->has_listen + sock->has_connect + sock->has_mcast +
         sock->has_udp != 1) {
diff --git a/net/tap-win32.c b/net/tap-win32.c
index f1e142ace6..0f23b19c96 100644
--- a/net/tap-win32.c
+++ b/net/tap-win32.c
@@ -788,14 +788,14 @@ static int tap_win32_init(NetClientState *peer, const char *model,
     return 0;
 }
 
-int net_init_tap(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_tap(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                  NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     /* FIXME error_setg(errp, ...) on failure */
     const NetdevTapOptions *tap;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_TAP);
-    tap = opts->u.tap.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_TAP);
+    tap = netdev->opts->u.tap.data;
 
     if (!tap->has_ifname) {
         error_report("tap: no interface name");
diff --git a/net/tap.c b/net/tap.c
index e9c32f3a44..ceb8c43821 100644
--- a/net/tap.c
+++ b/net/tap.c
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ static int net_bridge_run_helper(const char *helper, const char *bridge,
     }
 }
 
-int net_init_bridge(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_bridge(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                     NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     const NetdevBridgeOptions *bridge;
@@ -579,8 +579,8 @@ int net_init_bridge(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
     TAPState *s;
     int fd, vnet_hdr;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_BRIDGE);
-    bridge = opts->u.bridge.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_BRIDGE);
+    bridge = netdev->opts->u.bridge.data;
 
     helper = bridge->has_helper ? bridge->helper : DEFAULT_BRIDGE_HELPER;
     br     = bridge->has_br     ? bridge->br     : DEFAULT_BRIDGE_INTERFACE;
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ static int get_fds(char *str, char *fds[], int max)
     return i;
 }
 
-int net_init_tap(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_tap(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                  NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     const NetdevTapOptions *tap;
@@ -747,8 +747,8 @@ int net_init_tap(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
     const char *vhostfdname;
     char ifname[128];
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_TAP);
-    tap = opts->u.tap.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_TAP);
+    tap = netdev->opts->u.tap.data;
     queues = tap->has_queues ? tap->queues : 1;
     vhostfdname = tap->has_vhostfd ? tap->vhostfd : NULL;
 
diff --git a/net/vde.c b/net/vde.c
index 9427eaa16f..53cdbbf0ea 100644
--- a/net/vde.c
+++ b/net/vde.c
@@ -109,14 +109,14 @@ static int net_vde_init(NetClientState *peer, const char *model,
     return 0;
 }
 
-int net_init_vde(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_vde(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                  NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     /* FIXME error_setg(errp, ...) on failure */
     const NetdevVdeOptions *vde;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_VDE);
-    vde = opts->u.vde.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_VDE);
+    vde = netdev->opts->u.vde.data;
 
     /* missing optional values have been initialized to "all bits zero" */
     if (net_vde_init(peer, "vde", name, vde->sock, vde->port, vde->group,
diff --git a/net/vhost-user.c b/net/vhost-user.c
index a88dfe0655..dfdcca221c 100644
--- a/net/vhost-user.c
+++ b/net/vhost-user.c
@@ -334,15 +334,15 @@ static int net_vhost_check_net(void *opaque, QemuOpts *opts, Error **errp)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int net_init_vhost_user(const NetClientOptions *opts, const char *name,
+int net_init_vhost_user(const Netdev *netdev, const char *name,
                         NetClientState *peer, Error **errp)
 {
     int queues;
     const NetdevVhostUserOptions *vhost_user_opts;
     CharDriverState *chr;
 
-    assert(opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_VHOST_USER);
-    vhost_user_opts = opts->u.vhost_user.data;
+    assert(netdev->opts->type == NET_CLIENT_OPTIONS_KIND_VHOST_USER);
+    vhost_user_opts = netdev->opts->u.vhost_user.data;
 
     chr = net_vhost_parse_chardev(vhost_user_opts, errp);
     if (!chr) {