diff --git a/src/util/virstoragefile.c b/src/util/virstoragefile.c
index a6f87d9608b734840aeb05534b8f57cbb39ba2d1..f5fe8adde62f49c33e96af6984fe14a051368b4d 100644
--- a/src/util/virstoragefile.c
+++ b/src/util/virstoragefile.c
@@ -789,6 +789,13 @@ virStorageFileGetMetadataInternal(const char *path,
     VIR_DEBUG("path=%s, canonPath=%s, dir=%s, buf=%p, len=%zu, format=%d",
               path, canonPath, directory, buf, len, format);
 
+    if (VIR_STRDUP(meta->path, path) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+    if (VIR_STRDUP(meta->canonPath, canonPath) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+    if (VIR_STRDUP(meta->relDir, directory) < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
     if (format == VIR_STORAGE_FILE_AUTO)
         format = virStorageFileProbeFormatFromBuf(path, buf, len);
 
@@ -798,6 +805,7 @@ virStorageFileGetMetadataInternal(const char *path,
                              format);
         goto cleanup;
     }
+    meta->format = format;
 
     /* XXX we should consider moving virStorageBackendUpdateVolInfo
      * code into this method, for non-magic files
@@ -1020,8 +1028,14 @@ virStorageFileGetMetadataFromFDInternal(const char *path,
         return -1;
     }
 
-    /* No header to probe for directories, but also no backing file */
     if (S_ISDIR(sb.st_mode)) {
+        /* No header to probe for directories, but also no backing
+         * file; therefore, no inclusion loop is possible, and we
+         * don't need canonName or relDir.  */
+        if (VIR_STRDUP(meta->path, path) < 0)
+            goto cleanup;
+        meta->type = VIR_STORAGE_TYPE_DIR;
+        meta->format = VIR_STORAGE_FILE_DIR;
         ret = 0;
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -1039,6 +1053,12 @@ virStorageFileGetMetadataFromFDInternal(const char *path,
     ret = virStorageFileGetMetadataInternal(path, canonPath, directory,
                                             buf, len, format, meta);
 
+    if (ret == 0) {
+        if (S_ISREG(sb.st_mode))
+            meta->type = VIR_STORAGE_TYPE_FILE;
+        else if (S_ISBLK(sb.st_mode))
+            meta->type = VIR_STORAGE_TYPE_BLOCK;
+    }
  cleanup:
     VIR_FREE(buf);
     return ret;
@@ -1266,6 +1286,10 @@ virStorageFileFreeMetadata(virStorageFileMetadata *meta)
     if (!meta)
         return;
 
+    VIR_FREE(meta->path);
+    VIR_FREE(meta->canonPath);
+    VIR_FREE(meta->relDir);
+
     virStorageFileFreeMetadata(meta->backingMeta);
     VIR_FREE(meta->backingStore);
     VIR_FREE(meta->backingStoreRaw);
diff --git a/src/util/virstoragefile.h b/src/util/virstoragefile.h
index 7cb0f2ba8f2563193bd1fa8529e2000b68b9c7a8..41921406a3d4d35d5e6787144ed3079ca9005d46 100644
--- a/src/util/virstoragefile.h
+++ b/src/util/virstoragefile.h
@@ -112,17 +112,43 @@ struct _virStorageTimestamps {
 typedef struct _virStorageFileMetadata virStorageFileMetadata;
 typedef virStorageFileMetadata *virStorageFileMetadataPtr;
 struct _virStorageFileMetadata {
-    char *backingStore; /* Canonical name (absolute file, or protocol) */
-    char *backingStoreRaw; /* If file, original name, possibly relative */
-    char *directory; /* The directory containing basename of backingStoreRaw */
-    int backingStoreFormat; /* enum virStorageFileFormat */
-    bool backingStoreIsFile;
+    /* Name of the current file as spelled by the user (top level) or
+     * metadata of the overlay (if this is a backing store).  */
+    char *path;
+    /* Canonical name of the current file, used to detect loops in the
+     * backing store chain.  */
+    char *canonPath;
+    /* Directory to start from if backingStoreRaw is a relative file
+     * name.  */
+    char *relDir;
+    /* Name of the child backing store recorded in metadata of the
+     * current file.  */
+    char *backingStoreRaw;
+
+    /* Backing chain.  In the common case, the child's
+     * backingMeta->path will be a duplicate of this file's
+     * backingStoreRaw; this setup makes it possible to detect missing
+     * backing files: if backingStoreRaw is NULL, this field should be
+     * NULL.  If this field is NULL and backingStoreRaw is non-NULL,
+     * there was an error following the chain (such as a missing
+     * file).  Otherwise, information about the child is here.  */
     virStorageFileMetadataPtr backingMeta;
 
+    /* Details about the current image */
+    int type; /* enum virStorageType */
+    int format; /* enum virStorageFileFormat */
     virStorageEncryptionPtr encryption;
     unsigned long long capacity;
     virBitmapPtr features; /* bits described by enum virStorageFileFeature */
     char *compat;
+
+    /* Fields I'm trying to delete, because it is confusing to have to
+     * query the parent metadata for details about the backing
+     * store.  */
+    char *backingStore; /* Canonical name (absolute file, or protocol). Should be same as backingMeta->canonPath */
+    char *directory; /* The directory containing basename of backingStoreRaw. Should be same as backingMeta->relDir */
+    int backingStoreFormat; /* enum virStorageFileFormat. Should be same as backingMeta->format */
+    bool backingStoreIsFile; /* Should be same as backingMeta->type < VIR_STORAGE_TYPE_NETWORK */
 };