diff --git a/include/sysemu/char.h b/include/sysemu/char.h
index ad101d9258..b81a6ff185 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/char.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/char.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ struct CharDriverState {
     void (*chr_accept_input)(struct CharDriverState *chr);
     void (*chr_set_echo)(struct CharDriverState *chr, bool echo);
     void (*chr_set_fe_open)(struct CharDriverState *chr, int fe_open);
+    void (*chr_fe_event)(struct CharDriverState *chr, int event);
     void *opaque;
     char *label;
     char *filename;
@@ -137,6 +138,15 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_set_echo(struct CharDriverState *chr, bool echo);
  */
 void qemu_chr_fe_set_open(struct CharDriverState *chr, int fe_open);
 
+/**
+ * @qemu_chr_fe_event:
+ *
+ * Send an event from the front end to the back end.
+ *
+ * @event the event to send
+ */
+void qemu_chr_fe_event(CharDriverState *s, int event);
+
 /**
  * @qemu_chr_fe_printf:
  *
diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index e00f84c8e9..418dc69d39 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -3353,6 +3353,13 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_set_open(struct CharDriverState *chr, int fe_open)
     }
 }
 
+void qemu_chr_fe_event(struct CharDriverState *chr, int event)
+{
+    if (chr->chr_fe_event) {
+        chr->chr_fe_event(chr, event);
+    }
+}
+
 int qemu_chr_fe_add_watch(CharDriverState *s, GIOCondition cond,
                           GIOFunc func, void *user_data)
 {