diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 2a12a0653a743f579c419bc3cbbbbd6b259230f2..77e198cc22aaff9f9d2766d238f95b67f3a5f4ec 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -2824,24 +2824,25 @@ virDomainObjGetPersistentDef(virCapsPtr caps,
         return domain->def;
 }
 
-/*
- * Helper method for --current, --live, and --config options, and check
- * whether domain is active or can get persistent domain configuration.
+
+/**
+ * virDomainObjUpdateModificationImpact:
  *
- * Return 0 if success, also change the flags and get the persistent
- * domain configuration if needed. Return -1 on error.
+ * @vm: domain object
+ * @flags: flags to update the modification impact on
+ *
+ * Resolves virDomainModificationImpact flags in @flags so that they correctly
+ * apply to the actual state of @vm. @flags may be modified after call to this
+ * function.
+ *
+ * Returns 0 on success if @flags point to a valid combination for @vm or -1 on
+ * error.
  */
 int
-virDomainLiveConfigHelperMethod(virCapsPtr caps,
-                                virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
-                                virDomainObjPtr dom,
-                                unsigned int *flags,
-                                virDomainDefPtr *persistentDef)
+virDomainObjUpdateModificationImpact(virDomainObjPtr vm,
+                                     unsigned int *flags)
 {
-    bool isActive;
-    int ret = -1;
-
-    isActive = virDomainObjIsActive(dom);
+    bool isActive = virDomainObjIsActive(vm);
 
     if ((*flags & (VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE | VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG)) ==
         VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CURRENT) {
@@ -2854,29 +2855,99 @@ virDomainLiveConfigHelperMethod(virCapsPtr caps,
     if (!isActive && (*flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE)) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID, "%s",
                        _("domain is not running"));
-        goto cleanup;
+        return -1;
     }
 
     if (*flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG) {
-        if (!dom->persistent) {
+        if (!vm->persistent) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID, "%s",
                            _("transient domains do not have any "
                              "persistent config"));
-            goto cleanup;
+            return -1;
         }
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * Helper method for --current, --live, and --config options, and check
+ * whether domain is active or can get persistent domain configuration.
+ *
+ * Return 0 if success, also change the flags and get the persistent
+ * domain configuration if needed. Return -1 on error.
+ */
+int
+virDomainLiveConfigHelperMethod(virCapsPtr caps,
+                                virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
+                                virDomainObjPtr dom,
+                                unsigned int *flags,
+                                virDomainDefPtr *persistentDef)
+{
+    if (virDomainObjUpdateModificationImpact(dom, flags) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    if (*flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG) {
         if (!(*persistentDef = virDomainObjGetPersistentDef(caps, xmlopt, dom))) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR, "%s",
                            _("Get persistent config failed"));
-            goto cleanup;
+            return -1;
         }
     }
 
-    ret = 0;
+    return 0;
+}
 
- cleanup:
-    return ret;
+
+/**
+ * virDomainObjGetDefs:
+ *
+ * @vm: domain object
+ * @flags: for virDomainModificationImpact
+ * @liveDef: Set to the pointer to the live definition of @vm.
+ * @persDef: Set to the pointer to the config definition of @vm.
+ *
+ * Helper function to resolve @flags and retrieve correct domain pointer
+ * objects. This function should be used only when the hypervisor driver always
+ * creates vm->newDef once the vm is started. (qemu driver does that)
+ *
+ * If @liveDef or @persDef are set it implies that @flags request modification
+ * of thereof.
+ *
+ * Returns 0 on success and sets @liveDef and @persDef; -1 if @flags are
+ * inappropriate.
+ */
+int
+virDomainObjGetDefs(virDomainObjPtr vm,
+                    unsigned int flags,
+                    virDomainDefPtr *liveDef,
+                    virDomainDefPtr *persDef)
+{
+    if (liveDef)
+        *liveDef = NULL;
+
+    if (*persDef)
+        *persDef = NULL;
+
+    if (virDomainObjUpdateModificationImpact(vm, &flags) < 0)
+        return -1;
+
+    if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE) {
+        if (liveDef)
+            *liveDef = vm->def;
+
+        if (persDef)
+            *liveDef = vm->newDef;
+    } else {
+        if (persDef)
+            *persDef = vm->def;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
+
 /*
  * The caller must hold a lock on the driver owning 'doms',
  * and must also have locked 'dom', to ensure no one else
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index 906ec4f9c5be6515fadeefcf19dc5e52bd9c4d98..ba17a8d732d3a73489732bb50e55f04fcef71ba6 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -2546,6 +2546,14 @@ virDomainObjGetPersistentDef(virCapsPtr caps,
                              virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
                              virDomainObjPtr domain);
 
+int virDomainObjUpdateModificationImpact(virDomainObjPtr vm,
+                                         unsigned int *flags);
+
+int virDomainObjGetDefs(virDomainObjPtr vm,
+                        unsigned int flags,
+                        virDomainDefPtr *liveDef,
+                        virDomainDefPtr *persDef);
+
 int
 virDomainLiveConfigHelperMethod(virCapsPtr caps,
                                 virDomainXMLOptionPtr xmlopt,
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 7b502aa31d699bd1cbfa20673d1e66b8d4adf096..55a5e19ed02f36c85daf40fe5cd334bd6d21605d 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -383,6 +383,7 @@ virDomainObjAssignDef;
 virDomainObjCopyPersistentDef;
 virDomainObjEndAPI;
 virDomainObjFormat;
+virDomainObjGetDefs;
 virDomainObjGetMetadata;
 virDomainObjGetPersistentDef;
 virDomainObjGetState;
@@ -408,6 +409,7 @@ virDomainObjSetDefTransient;
 virDomainObjSetMetadata;
 virDomainObjSetState;
 virDomainObjTaint;
+virDomainObjUpdateModificationImpact;
 virDomainOSTypeFromString;
 virDomainOSTypeToString;
 virDomainParseMemory;