diff --git a/include/kvm/virtio-9p.h b/include/kvm/virtio-9p.h
index 19ffe50..2b6fe43 100644
--- a/include/kvm/virtio-9p.h
+++ b/include/kvm/virtio-9p.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ struct p9_pdu {
 
 struct kvm;
 
+int virtio_9p_rootdir_handle(struct kvm *kvm, const char *arg);
 int virtio_9p_rootdir_parser(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset);
 int virtio_9p_img_name_parser(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset);
 int virtio_9p__register(struct kvm *kvm, const char *root, const char *tag_name);
diff --git a/virtio/9p.c b/virtio/9p.c
index 5411902..1045f7e 100644
--- a/virtio/9p.c
+++ b/virtio/9p.c
@@ -1467,11 +1467,10 @@ struct virtio_ops p9_dev_virtio_ops = (struct virtio_ops) {
 	.set_size_vq		= set_size_vq,
 };
 
-int virtio_9p_rootdir_parser(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset)
+int virtio_9p_rootdir_handle(struct kvm *kvm, const char *arg)
 {
 	char *tag_name;
 	char tmp[PATH_MAX];
-	struct kvm *kvm = opt->ptr;
 
 	/*
 	 * 9p dir can be of the form dirname,tag_name or
@@ -1491,6 +1490,11 @@ int virtio_9p_rootdir_parser(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unse
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int virtio_9p_rootdir_parser(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset)
+{
+	return virtio_9p_rootdir_handle((struct kvm *)opt->ptr, arg);
+}
+
 int virtio_9p_img_name_parser(const struct option *opt, const char *arg, int unset)
 {
 	char path[PATH_MAX];