diff --git a/docs/formatcaps.html.in b/docs/formatcaps.html.in
index 525a3318cb1d474518d302d4c8e29f7ec7dd2cb9..dcbf35a9dcad230d1ae3aa5dfe671f02ac22ca92 100644
--- a/docs/formatcaps.html.in
+++ b/docs/formatcaps.html.in
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ BIOS you will see</p>
         &lt;vmx/&gt;
       &lt;/features&gt;
       &lt;model&gt;core2duo&lt;/model&gt;
+      &lt;vendor&gt;Intel&lt;/vendor&gt;
       &lt;topology sockets="1" cores="2" threads="1"/&gt;
       &lt;feature name="lahf_lm"/&gt;
       &lt;feature name='xtpr'/&gt;
diff --git a/docs/formatdomain.html.in b/docs/formatdomain.html.in
index 425a1e494c68f592ed12dd20ee5eaef279787ed3..4cca67fc481844c4d56731defa2701c15bc2723c 100644
--- a/docs/formatdomain.html.in
+++ b/docs/formatdomain.html.in
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@
   ...
   &lt;cpu match='exact'&gt;
     &lt;model&gt;core2duo&lt;/model&gt;
+    &lt;vendor&gt;Intel&lt;/vendor&gt;
     &lt;topology sockets='1' cores='2' threads='1'/&gt;
     &lt;feature policy='disable' name='lahf_lm'/&gt;
   &lt;/cpu&gt;
@@ -267,6 +268,13 @@
         definition can be found in <code>cpu_map.xml</code> file installed
         in libvirt's data directory.</dd>
 
+      <dt><code>vendor</code></dt>
+      <dd><span class="since">Since 0.8.3</span> the content of the
+        <code>vendor</code> element specifies CPU vendor requested by the
+        guest. If this element is missing, the guest can be run on a CPU
+        matching given features regardless on its vendor. The list of
+        supported vendors can be found in <code>cpu_map.xml</code>.</dd>
+
       <dt><code>topology</code></dt>
       <dd>The <code>topology</code> element specifies requested topology of
         virtual CPU provided to the guest. Three non-zero values have to be
diff --git a/docs/schemas/capability.rng b/docs/schemas/capability.rng
index 67e8cf2d810261b5f7d3dbfc1e2e3223527e529e..f894b0942c92f6547638cedf31e23fd279777c4b 100644
--- a/docs/schemas/capability.rng
+++ b/docs/schemas/capability.rng
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@
     <element name='model'>
       <text/>
     </element>
+    <optional>
+      <element name='vendor'>
+        <text/>
+      </element>
+    </optional>
     <element name='topology'>
       <attribute name='sockets'>
         <ref name='positiveInteger'/>
diff --git a/docs/schemas/domain.rng b/docs/schemas/domain.rng
index fd57917be713a9939b0c314371e7f673cc5cc682..1d56f5b008ca1cdfb45112d9a28a337dd525a625 100644
--- a/docs/schemas/domain.rng
+++ b/docs/schemas/domain.rng
@@ -1557,6 +1557,7 @@
           <interleave>
             <ref name="cpuModel"/>
             <optional>
+              <ref name="cpuVendor"/>
               <ref name="cpuTopology"/>
             </optional>
             <zeroOrMore>
@@ -1584,6 +1585,12 @@
     </element>
   </define>
 
+  <define name="cpuVendor">
+    <element name="vendor">
+      <text/>
+    </element>
+  </define>
+
   <define name="cpuFeature">
     <element name="feature">
       <attribute name="policy">
diff --git a/src/conf/cpu_conf.c b/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
index c51ac4e75261ce4a606a7b91f22311e67fd3fc47..d9aa69c22ecaef88549e08d67e10eaa576f0cae7 100644
--- a/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/cpu_conf.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ virCPUDefFree(virCPUDefPtr def)
 
     VIR_FREE(def->model);
     VIR_FREE(def->arch);
+    VIR_FREE(def->vendor);
 
     for (i = 0 ; i < def->nfeatures ; i++)
         VIR_FREE(def->features[i].name);
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ virCPUDefCopy(const virCPUDefPtr cpu)
     if (VIR_ALLOC(copy) < 0
         || (cpu->arch && !(copy->arch = strdup(cpu->arch)))
         || (cpu->model && !(copy->model = strdup(cpu->model)))
+        || (cpu->vendor && !(copy->vendor = strdup(cpu->vendor)))
         || VIR_ALLOC_N(copy->features, cpu->nfeatures) < 0)
         goto no_memory;
 
@@ -173,6 +175,13 @@ virCPUDefParseXML(const xmlNodePtr node,
         goto error;
     }
 
+    def->vendor = virXPathString("string(./vendor[1])", ctxt);
+    if (def->vendor && !def->model) {
+        virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                "%s", _("CPU vendor specified without CPU model"));
+        goto error;
+    }
+
     if (virXPathNode("./topology[1]", ctxt)) {
         int ret;
         unsigned long ul;
@@ -349,6 +358,11 @@ virCPUDefFormatBuf(virBufferPtr buf,
     if (def->model)
         virBufferVSprintf(buf, "%s  <model>%s</model>\n", indent, def->model);
 
+    if (def->vendor) {
+        virBufferVSprintf(buf, "%s  <vendor>%s</vendor>\n",
+                          indent, def->vendor);
+    }
+
     if (def->sockets && def->cores && def->threads) {
         virBufferVSprintf(buf, "%s  <topology", indent);
         virBufferVSprintf(buf, " sockets='%u'", def->sockets);
diff --git a/src/conf/cpu_conf.h b/src/conf/cpu_conf.h
index a30991d234bd6c2a8f4e709b7cb373337f245de7..1c29192db41fa8e6710836b8157c86ed3baefe15 100644
--- a/src/conf/cpu_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/cpu_conf.h
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ struct _virCPUDef {
     int match;          /* enum virCPUMatch */
     char *arch;
     char *model;
+    char *vendor;
     unsigned int sockets;
     unsigned int cores;
     unsigned int threads;
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.c b/src/cpu/cpu.c
index 8d6c22b54964eea572a3a0f01c7e3ceac23e3f72..279eee7d37f201d48a600aea5733d96454fd2795 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.c
@@ -173,14 +173,15 @@ cpuEncode(const char *arch,
           union cpuData **required,
           union cpuData **optional,
           union cpuData **disabled,
-          union cpuData **forbidden)
+          union cpuData **forbidden,
+          union cpuData **vendor)
 {
     struct cpuArchDriver *driver;
 
     VIR_DEBUG("arch=%s, cpu=%p, forced=%p, required=%p, "
-              "optional=%p, disabled=%p, forbidden=%p",
+              "optional=%p, disabled=%p, forbidden=%p, vendor=%p",
               NULLSTR(arch), cpu, forced, required,
-              optional, disabled, forbidden);
+              optional, disabled, forbidden, vendor);
 
     if ((driver = cpuGetSubDriver(arch)) == NULL)
         return -1;
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ cpuEncode(const char *arch,
     }
 
     return driver->encode(cpu, forced, required,
-                          optional, disabled, forbidden);
+                          optional, disabled, forbidden, vendor);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu.h b/src/cpu/cpu.h
index 40f2a7d9cf57577ede87b86be7b5843fd34445b4..a745917f64e0a9fa3c67e4120b260c1bc7fcd1a8 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu.h
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu.h
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ typedef int
                      union cpuData **required,
                      union cpuData **optional,
                      union cpuData **disabled,
-                     union cpuData **forbidden);
+                     union cpuData **forbidden,
+                     union cpuData **vendor);
 
 typedef void
 (*cpuArchDataFree)  (union cpuData *data);
@@ -119,7 +120,8 @@ cpuEncode   (const char *arch,
              union cpuData **required,
              union cpuData **optional,
              union cpuData **disabled,
-             union cpuData **forbidden);
+             union cpuData **forbidden,
+             union cpuData **vendor);
 
 extern void
 cpuDataFree (const char *arch,
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_map.c b/src/cpu/cpu_map.c
index 5fb88e0aaca4fed9a3b7f482f8ec4a3829a0bc15..263bb9e93ec777a3b025c0597f8fe9cca72e1af9 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_map.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_map.c
@@ -32,9 +32,14 @@
 
 #define CPUMAPFILE PKGDATADIR "/cpu_map.xml"
 
+VIR_ENUM_IMPL(cpuMapElement, CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_LAST,
+    "vendor",
+    "feature",
+    "model")
+
 
 static int load(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
-                const char *node,
+                enum cpuMapElement element,
                 cpuMapLoadCallback callback,
                 void *data)
 {
@@ -47,9 +52,10 @@ static int load(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
     cur = ctxt_node->children;
     while (cur != NULL) {
         if (cur->type == XML_ELEMENT_NODE &&
-            xmlStrEqual(cur->name, BAD_CAST node)) {
+            xmlStrEqual(cur->name,
+                        BAD_CAST cpuMapElementTypeToString(element))) {
             ctxt->node = cur;
-            if (callback(ctxt, data) < 0)
+            if (callback(element, ctxt, data) < 0)
                 goto cleanup;
         }
 
@@ -66,16 +72,15 @@ cleanup:
 
 
 int cpuMapLoad(const char *arch,
-               cpuMapLoadCallback feature_cb,
-               void *model_data,
-               cpuMapLoadCallback model_cb,
-               void *feature_data)
+               cpuMapLoadCallback cb,
+               void *data)
 {
     xmlDocPtr xml = NULL;
     xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt = NULL;
     virBuffer buf = VIR_BUFFER_INITIALIZER;
     char *xpath = NULL;
     int ret = -1;
+    int element;
 
     if (arch == NULL) {
         virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
@@ -83,6 +88,12 @@ int cpuMapLoad(const char *arch,
         return -1;
     }
 
+    if (cb == NULL) {
+        virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                          "%s", _("no callback provided"));
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     if ((xml = xmlParseFile(CPUMAPFILE)) == NULL) {
         virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                 _("cannot parse CPU map file: %s"),
@@ -107,11 +118,12 @@ int cpuMapLoad(const char *arch,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    if ((feature_cb && load(ctxt, "feature", feature_cb, feature_data) < 0) ||
-        (model_cb && load(ctxt, "model", model_cb, model_data) < 0)) {
-        virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
-                _("cannot parse CPU map for %s architecture"), arch);
-        goto cleanup;
+    for (element = 0; element < CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_LAST; element++) {
+        if (load(ctxt, element, cb, data) < 0) {
+            virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                    _("cannot parse CPU map for %s architecture"), arch);
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
     }
 
     ret = 0;
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_map.h b/src/cpu/cpu_map.h
index 3d72c7fdedce3df20a2bb3420d4a7940034531bf..e26c7c18479999e2d905f20818a10a02eef198a0 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_map.h
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_map.h
@@ -27,15 +27,25 @@
 # include "xml.h"
 
 
+enum cpuMapElement {
+    CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_VENDOR,
+    CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_FEATURE,
+    CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_MODEL,
+
+    CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_LAST
+};
+
+VIR_ENUM_DECL(cpuMapElement)
+
+
 typedef int
-(*cpuMapLoadCallback)  (xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
+(*cpuMapLoadCallback)  (enum cpuMapElement element,
+                        xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
                         void *data);
 
 extern int
 cpuMapLoad(const char *arch,
-           cpuMapLoadCallback feature_cb,
-           void *model_data,
-           cpuMapLoadCallback model_cb,
-           void *feature_data);
+           cpuMapLoadCallback cb,
+           void *data);
 
 #endif /* __VIR_CPU_MAP_H__ */
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_map.xml b/src/cpu/cpu_map.xml
index 084b8794eb5ae3808328468ffd5471fb390b5da7..3ec4a7ead29fdd9a5bae779a8b83141bde78a6e4 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_map.xml
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_map.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 <cpus>
   <arch name='x86'>
+    <!-- vendor definitions -->
+    <vendor name='Intel' string='GenuineIntel'/>
+    <vendor name='AMD' string='AuthenticAMD'/>
+
     <!-- standard features, EDX -->
     <feature name='fpu'> <!-- CPUID_FP87 -->
       <cpuid function='0x00000001' edx='0x00000001'/>
@@ -310,6 +314,7 @@
 
     <model name='phenom'>
       <model name='pentiumpro'/>
+      <vendor name='AMD'/>
       <feature name='mtrr'/>
       <feature name='clflush'/>
       <feature name='mca'/>
@@ -328,6 +333,7 @@
 
     <model name='athlon'>
       <model name='pentiumpro'/>
+      <vendor name='AMD'/>
       <feature name='pse36'/>
       <feature name='vme'/>
       <feature name='mtrr'/>
diff --git a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
index 0266ce94a9f31058ee8630676ec5e6a813dc1088..114235c770fc814c9dfe9f07085fb7d78b066062 100644
--- a/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
+++ b/src/cpu/cpu_x86.c
@@ -35,8 +35,18 @@
 
 #define VIR_FROM_THIS VIR_FROM_CPU
 
+#define VENDOR_STRING_LENGTH    12
+
+
 static const char *archs[] = { "i686", "x86_64" };
 
+struct x86_vendor {
+    char *name;
+    struct cpuX86cpuid cpuid;
+
+    struct x86_vendor *next;
+};
+
 struct x86_feature {
     char *name;
     unsigned int ncpuid;
@@ -47,6 +57,7 @@ struct x86_feature {
 
 struct x86_model {
     char *name;
+    const struct x86_vendor *vendor;
     unsigned int ncpuid;
     struct cpuX86cpuid *cpuid;
 
@@ -54,6 +65,7 @@ struct x86_model {
 };
 
 struct x86_map {
+    struct x86_vendor *vendors;
     struct x86_feature *features;
     struct x86_model *models;
 };
@@ -212,6 +224,44 @@ x86DataCopy(const union cpuData *data)
 }
 
 
+static int
+x86DataAddCpuid(union cpuData *data,
+                const struct cpuX86cpuid *cpuid)
+{
+    struct cpuX86cpuid **cpuids;
+    int *len;
+    unsigned int pos;
+    unsigned int ext;
+
+    if (cpuid->function < CPUX86_EXTENDED) {
+        pos = cpuid->function;
+        ext = 0;
+        len = &data->x86.basic_len;
+        cpuids = &data->x86.basic;
+    } else {
+        pos = cpuid->function - CPUX86_EXTENDED;
+        ext = CPUX86_EXTENDED;
+        len = &data->x86.extended_len;
+        cpuids = &data->x86.extended;
+    }
+
+    if (pos >= *len) {
+        unsigned int i;
+
+        if (VIR_ALLOC_N(*cpuids, pos + 1) < 0)
+            return -1;
+
+        for (i = *len; i <= pos; i++)
+            (*cpuids)[i].function = i + ext;
+        *len = pos + 1;
+    }
+
+    x86cpuidSetBits((*cpuids) + pos, cpuid);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 static void
 x86DataSubtract(union cpuData *data1,
                 const union cpuData *data2)
@@ -318,6 +368,27 @@ x86DataToCPUFeatures(virCPUDefPtr cpu,
 }
 
 
+/* also removes bits corresponding to vendor string from data */
+static const struct x86_vendor *
+x86DataToVendor(union cpuData *data,
+                const struct x86_map *map)
+{
+    const struct x86_vendor *vendor = map->vendors;
+    struct cpuX86cpuid *cpuid;
+
+    while (vendor) {
+        if ((cpuid = x86DataCpuid(data, vendor->cpuid.function)) &&
+            x86cpuidMatchMasked(cpuid, &vendor->cpuid)) {
+            x86cpuidClearBits(cpuid, &vendor->cpuid);
+            return vendor;
+        }
+        vendor = vendor->next;
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
 static virCPUDefPtr
 x86DataToCPU(const union cpuData *data,
              const struct x86_model *model,
@@ -326,6 +397,7 @@ x86DataToCPU(const union cpuData *data,
     virCPUDefPtr cpu;
     union cpuData *copy = NULL;
     union cpuData *modelData = NULL;
+    const struct x86_vendor *vendor;
 
     if (VIR_ALLOC(cpu) < 0 ||
         !(cpu->model = strdup(model->name)) ||
@@ -333,6 +405,10 @@ x86DataToCPU(const union cpuData *data,
         !(modelData = x86DataFromModel(model)))
         goto no_memory;
 
+    if ((vendor = x86DataToVendor(copy, map)) &&
+        !(cpu->vendor = strdup(vendor->name)))
+        goto no_memory;
+
     x86DataSubtract(copy, modelData);
     x86DataSubtract(modelData, data);
 
@@ -357,6 +433,106 @@ error:
 }
 
 
+static void
+x86VendorFree(struct x86_vendor *vendor)
+{
+    if (!vendor)
+        return;
+
+    VIR_FREE(vendor->name);
+    VIR_FREE(vendor);
+};
+
+
+static struct x86_vendor *
+x86VendorFind(const struct x86_map *map,
+              const char *name)
+{
+    struct x86_vendor *vendor;
+
+    vendor = map->vendors;
+    while (vendor) {
+        if (STREQ(vendor->name, name))
+            return vendor;
+
+        vendor = vendor->next;
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
+static int
+x86VendorLoad(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
+              struct x86_map *map)
+{
+    struct x86_vendor *vendor = NULL;
+    char *string = NULL;
+    int ret = 0;
+
+    if (VIR_ALLOC(vendor) < 0)
+        goto no_memory;
+
+    vendor->name = virXPathString("string(@name)", ctxt);
+    if (!vendor->name) {
+        virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                "%s", _("Missing CPU vendor name"));
+        goto ignore;
+    }
+
+    if (x86VendorFind(map, vendor->name)) {
+        virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                _("CPU vendor %s already defined"), vendor->name);
+        goto ignore;
+    }
+
+    string = virXPathString("string(@string)", ctxt);
+    if (!string) {
+        virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                _("Missing vendor string for CPU vendor %s"), vendor->name);
+        goto ignore;
+    }
+    if (strlen(string) != VENDOR_STRING_LENGTH) {
+        virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                _("Invalid CPU vendor string '%s'"), string);
+        goto ignore;
+    }
+
+    vendor->cpuid.function = 0;
+    vendor->cpuid.ebx = (string[0]       ) |
+                        (string[1]  <<  8) |
+                        (string[2]  << 16) |
+                        (string[3]  << 24);
+    vendor->cpuid.edx = (string[4]       ) |
+                        (string[5]  <<  8) |
+                        (string[6]  << 16) |
+                        (string[7]  << 24);
+    vendor->cpuid.ecx = (string[8]       ) |
+                        (string[9]  <<  8) |
+                        (string[10] << 16) |
+                        (string[11] << 24);
+
+    if (!map->vendors)
+        map->vendors = vendor;
+    else {
+        vendor->next = map->vendors;
+        map->vendors = vendor;
+    }
+
+out:
+    VIR_FREE(string);
+
+    return ret;
+
+no_memory:
+    virReportOOMError();
+    ret = -1;
+ignore:
+    x86VendorFree(vendor);
+    goto out;
+}
+
+
 static void
 x86FeatureFree(struct x86_feature *feature)
 {
@@ -389,9 +565,8 @@ x86FeatureFind(const struct x86_map *map,
 
 static int
 x86FeatureLoad(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
-               void *data)
+               struct x86_map *map)
 {
-    struct x86_map *map = data;
     xmlNodePtr *nodes = NULL;
     xmlNodePtr ctxt_node = ctxt->node;
     struct x86_feature *feature = NULL;
@@ -500,6 +675,7 @@ x86ModelCopy(const struct x86_model *model)
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    copy->vendor = model->vendor;
     copy->ncpuid = model->ncpuid;
     for (i = 0; i < model->ncpuid; i++)
         copy->cpuid[i] = model->cpuid[i];
@@ -788,11 +964,11 @@ x86ModelCompare(const struct x86_model *model1,
 
 static int
 x86ModelLoad(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
-             void *data)
+             struct x86_map *map)
 {
-    struct x86_map *map = data;
     xmlNodePtr *nodes = NULL;
     struct x86_model *model = NULL;
+    char *vendor = NULL;
     int ret = 0;
     int i;
     int n;
@@ -832,11 +1008,22 @@ x86ModelLoad(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
         if (VIR_ALLOC_N(model->cpuid, ancestor->ncpuid) < 0)
             goto no_memory;
 
+        model->vendor = ancestor->vendor;
         model->ncpuid = ancestor->ncpuid;
         memcpy(model->cpuid, ancestor->cpuid,
                sizeof(*model->cpuid) * model->ncpuid);
     }
 
+    vendor = virXPathString("string(./vendor/@name)", ctxt);
+    if (vendor) {
+        if (!(model->vendor = x86VendorFind(map, vendor))) {
+            virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                    _("Unknown vendor %s referenced by CPU model %s"),
+                    vendor, model->name);
+            goto ignore;
+        }
+    }
+
     n = virXPathNodeSet("./feature", ctxt, &nodes);
     if (n < 0)
         goto ignore;
@@ -872,6 +1059,7 @@ x86ModelLoad(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
     }
 
 out:
+    VIR_FREE(vendor);
     VIR_FREE(nodes);
     return ret;
 
@@ -907,6 +1095,28 @@ x86MapFree(struct x86_map *map)
 }
 
 
+static int
+x86MapLoadCallback(enum cpuMapElement element,
+                   xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
+                   void *data)
+{
+    struct x86_map *map = data;
+
+    switch (element) {
+    case CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_VENDOR:
+        return x86VendorLoad(ctxt, map);
+    case CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_FEATURE:
+        return x86FeatureLoad(ctxt, map);
+    case CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_MODEL:
+        return x86ModelLoad(ctxt, map);
+    case CPU_MAP_ELEMENT_LAST:
+        break;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 static struct x86_map *
 x86LoadMap(void)
 {
@@ -917,9 +1127,7 @@ x86LoadMap(void)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if (cpuMapLoad("x86",
-                   x86FeatureLoad, map,
-                   x86ModelLoad, map) < 0)
+    if (cpuMapLoad("x86", x86MapLoadCallback, map) < 0)
         goto error;
 
     return map;
@@ -965,6 +1173,13 @@ x86Compute(virCPUDefPtr host,
         }
     }
 
+    if (cpu->vendor &&
+        (!host->vendor || STRNEQ(cpu->vendor, host->vendor))) {
+        VIR_DEBUG("host CPU vendor does not match required CPU vendor %s",
+                  cpu->vendor);
+        return VIR_CPU_COMPARE_INCOMPATIBLE;
+    }
+
     if (!(map = x86LoadMap()) ||
         !(host_model = x86ModelFromCPU(host, map, 0)) ||
         !(cpu_force = x86ModelFromCPU(cpu, map, VIR_CPU_FEATURE_FORCE)) ||
@@ -1117,6 +1332,15 @@ x86Decode(virCPUDefPtr cpu,
         if (!(cpuCandidate = x86DataToCPU(data, candidate, map)))
             goto out;
 
+        if (candidate->vendor && cpuCandidate->vendor &&
+            STRNEQ(candidate->vendor->name, cpuCandidate->vendor)) {
+            VIR_DEBUG("CPU vendor %s of model %s differs from %s; ignoring",
+                      candidate->vendor->name, candidate->name,
+                      cpuCandidate->vendor);
+            virCPUDefFree(cpuCandidate);
+            goto next;
+        }
+
         if (cpu->type == VIR_CPU_TYPE_HOST) {
             cpuCandidate->type = VIR_CPU_TYPE_HOST;
             for (i = 0; i < cpuCandidate->nfeatures; i++) {
@@ -1154,6 +1378,7 @@ x86Decode(virCPUDefPtr cpu,
     }
 
     cpu->model = cpuModel->model;
+    cpu->vendor = cpuModel->vendor;
     cpu->nfeatures = cpuModel->nfeatures;
     cpu->features = cpuModel->features;
     VIR_FREE(cpuModel);
@@ -1194,7 +1419,8 @@ x86Encode(const virCPUDefPtr cpu,
           union cpuData **required,
           union cpuData **optional,
           union cpuData **disabled,
-          union cpuData **forbidden)
+          union cpuData **forbidden,
+          union cpuData **vendor)
 {
     struct x86_map *map = NULL;
     union cpuData *data_forced = NULL;
@@ -1202,6 +1428,7 @@ x86Encode(const virCPUDefPtr cpu,
     union cpuData *data_optional = NULL;
     union cpuData *data_disabled = NULL;
     union cpuData *data_forbidden = NULL;
+    union cpuData *data_vendor = NULL;
     int ret = -1;
 
     if ((map = x86LoadMap()) == NULL)
@@ -1237,6 +1464,23 @@ x86Encode(const virCPUDefPtr cpu,
             goto error;
     }
 
+    if (vendor) {
+        const struct x86_vendor *v = NULL;
+
+        if (cpu->vendor && !(v = x86VendorFind(map, cpu->vendor))) {
+            virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                    _("CPU vendor %s not found"), cpu->vendor);
+            goto error;
+        }
+
+        if (v &&
+            (VIR_ALLOC(data_vendor) < 0 ||
+             x86DataAddCpuid(data_vendor, &v->cpuid) < 0)) {
+            virReportOOMError();
+            goto error;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (forced)
         *forced = data_forced;
     if (required)
@@ -1247,6 +1491,8 @@ x86Encode(const virCPUDefPtr cpu,
         *disabled = data_disabled;
     if (forbidden)
         *forbidden = data_forbidden;
+    if (vendor)
+        *vendor = data_vendor;
 
     ret = 0;
 
@@ -1261,6 +1507,7 @@ error:
     x86DataFree(data_optional);
     x86DataFree(data_disabled);
     x86DataFree(data_forbidden);
+    x86DataFree(data_vendor);
     goto cleanup;
 }
 
@@ -1358,6 +1605,8 @@ x86Baseline(virCPUDefPtr *cpus,
     union cpuData *data = NULL;
     virCPUDefPtr cpu = NULL;
     unsigned int i;
+    const struct x86_vendor *vendor = NULL;
+    struct x86_model *model = NULL;
 
     if (!(map = x86LoadMap()))
         goto error;
@@ -1371,13 +1620,49 @@ x86Baseline(virCPUDefPtr *cpus,
     cpu->type = VIR_CPU_TYPE_GUEST;
     cpu->match = VIR_CPU_MATCH_EXACT;
 
+    if (cpus[0]->vendor &&
+        !(vendor = x86VendorFind(map, cpus[0]->vendor))) {
+        virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                _("Unknown CPU vendor %s"), cpus[0]->vendor);
+        goto error;
+    }
+
     for (i = 1; i < ncpus; i++) {
-        struct x86_model *model;
+        const char *vn = NULL;
+
         if (!(model = x86ModelFromCPU(cpus[i], map, 0)))
             goto error;
 
+        if (cpus[i]->vendor && model->vendor &&
+            STRNEQ(cpus[i]->vendor, model->vendor->name)) {
+            virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                    _("CPU vendor %s of model %s differs from vendor %s"),
+                    model->vendor->name, model->name, cpus[i]->vendor);
+            goto error;
+        }
+
+        if (cpus[i]->vendor)
+            vn = cpus[i]->vendor;
+        else if (model->vendor)
+            vn = model->vendor->name;
+
+        if (vn) {
+            if (!vendor) {
+                if (!(vendor = x86VendorFind(map, vn))) {
+                    virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                            _("Unknown CPU vendor %s"), vn);
+                    goto error;
+                }
+            } else if (STRNEQ(vendor->name, vn)) {
+                virCPUReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
+                        "%s", _("CPU vendors do not match"));
+                goto error;
+            }
+        }
+
         x86ModelIntersect(base_model, model);
         x86ModelFree(model);
+        model = NULL;
     }
 
     if (!(data = x86DataFromModel(base_model)))
@@ -1389,6 +1674,9 @@ x86Baseline(virCPUDefPtr *cpus,
         goto error;
     }
 
+    if (vendor && x86DataAddCpuid(data, &vendor->cpuid) < 0)
+        goto no_memory;
+
     if (x86Decode(cpu, data, models, nmodels, NULL) < 0)
         goto error;
 
@@ -1404,6 +1692,7 @@ cleanup:
 no_memory:
     virReportOOMError();
 error:
+    x86ModelFree(model);
     virCPUDefFree(cpu);
     cpu = NULL;
     goto cleanup;
diff --git a/tests/testutilsqemu.c b/tests/testutilsqemu.c
index 7fee21a51e221fe5ef40d7b8a56f1479129cdfe5..99b1f4eea4790904bb8c668dd5d86eb09019f502 100644
--- a/tests/testutilsqemu.c
+++ b/tests/testutilsqemu.c
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ virCapsPtr testQemuCapsInit(void) {
         0,                      /* match */
         (char *) "x86_64",      /* arch */
         (char *) "core2duo",    /* model */
+        (char *) "Intel",       /* vendor */
         1,                      /* sockets */
         2,                      /* cores */
         1,                      /* threads */