diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index a3a680772c..d93d7f16ab 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -1051,6 +1051,11 @@ struct _virDomainActualNetDef {
     unsigned int class_id; /* class ID for bandwidth 'floor' */
 };
 
+struct _virDomainNetBackend {
+    char *tap;
+    char *vhost;
+};
+
 /* Stores the virtual network interface configuration */
 struct _virDomainNetDef {
     virDomainNetType type;
@@ -1089,10 +1094,7 @@ struct _virDomainNetDef {
             virTristateSwitch rss_hash_report;
         } virtio;
     } driver;
-    struct {
-        char *tap;
-        char *vhost;
-    } backend;
+    virDomainNetBackend backend;
     virDomainNetTeamingInfo *teaming;
     union {
         virDomainChrSourceDef *vhostuser;
diff --git a/src/conf/virconftypes.h b/src/conf/virconftypes.h
index 154805091a..7bd9aa8e0a 100644
--- a/src/conf/virconftypes.h
+++ b/src/conf/virconftypes.h
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ typedef struct _virDomainMomentObjList virDomainMomentObjList;
 
 typedef struct _virDomainNVRAMDef virDomainNVRAMDef;
 
+typedef struct _virDomainNetBackend virDomainNetBackend;
+
 typedef struct _virDomainNetDef virDomainNetDef;
 
 typedef struct _virDomainNetTeamingInfo virDomainNetTeamingInfo;