diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index 4eec8d1242..13952355e1 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -2548,7 +2548,7 @@ static const struct {
 #endif
 };
 
-CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
+CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
                                     void (*init)(struct CharDriverState *s))
 {
     CharDriverState *chr;
@@ -2617,7 +2617,7 @@ CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new(const char *label, const char *filename, void (*in
     if (!opts)
         return NULL;
 
-    chr = qemu_chr_open_opts(opts, init);
+    chr = qemu_chr_new_from_opts(opts, init);
     if (chr && qemu_opt_get_bool(opts, "mux", 0)) {
         monitor_init(chr, MONITOR_USE_READLINE);
     }
diff --git a/qemu-char.h b/qemu-char.h
index 097f0e6791..f90b85c81a 100644
--- a/qemu-char.h
+++ b/qemu-char.h
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ struct CharDriverState {
 };
 
 QemuOpts *qemu_chr_parse_compat(const char *label, const char *filename);
-CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
+CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new_from_opts(QemuOpts *opts,
                                     void (*init)(struct CharDriverState *s));
 CharDriverState *qemu_chr_new(const char *label, const char *filename, void (*init)(struct CharDriverState *s));
 void qemu_chr_fe_set_echo(struct CharDriverState *chr, bool echo);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 321bc1548e..5f1a17704b 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -1689,7 +1689,7 @@ static int chardev_init_func(QemuOpts *opts, void *opaque)
 {
     CharDriverState *chr;
 
-    chr = qemu_chr_open_opts(opts, NULL);
+    chr = qemu_chr_new_from_opts(opts, NULL);
     if (!chr)
         return -1;
     return 0;