diff --git a/src/util/virobject.c b/src/util/virobject.c
index 7f08a11ce3..808edc4837 100644
--- a/src/util/virobject.c
+++ b/src/util/virobject.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * virobject.c: libvirt reference counted object
  *
- * Copyright (C) 2012 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2012-2013 Red Hat, Inc.
  *
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include <config.h>
 
+#define VIR_PARENT_REQUIRED /* empty, to allow virObject to have no parent */
 #include "virobject.h"
 #include "virthread.h"
 #include "viralloc.h"
diff --git a/src/util/virobject.h b/src/util/virobject.h
index bb72a25bc3..3a08f10d05 100644
--- a/src/util/virobject.h
+++ b/src/util/virobject.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
  * virobject.h: libvirt reference counted object
  *
- * Copyright (C) 2012 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (C) 2012-2013 Red Hat, Inc.
  *
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
@@ -51,11 +51,14 @@ struct _virObjectLockable {
 virClassPtr virClassForObject(void);
 virClassPtr virClassForObjectLockable(void);
 
+# ifndef VIR_PARENT_REQUIRED
+#  define VIR_PARENT_REQUIRED ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1)
+# endif
 virClassPtr virClassNew(virClassPtr parent,
                         const char *name,
                         size_t objectSize,
                         virObjectDisposeCallback dispose)
-    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);
+    VIR_PARENT_REQUIRED ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2);
 
 const char *virClassName(virClassPtr klass)
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1);