diff --git a/hw/char/virtio-console.c b/hw/char/virtio-console.c
index 2e00ad2a7c46285aabc61ca1e1302bf5cba93b0c..73e18f2219de5a3136a5d72dc1009dbf30933d30 100644
--- a/hw/char/virtio-console.c
+++ b/hw/char/virtio-console.c
@@ -15,8 +15,13 @@
 #include "trace.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio-serial.h"
 
+#define TYPE_VIRTIO_CONSOLE "virtconsole"
+#define VIRTIO_CONSOLE(obj) \
+    OBJECT_CHECK(VirtConsole, (obj), TYPE_VIRTIO_CONSOLE)
+
 typedef struct VirtConsole {
-    VirtIOSerialPort port;
+    VirtIOSerialPort parent_obj;
+
     CharDriverState *chr;
     guint watch;
 } VirtConsole;
@@ -31,7 +36,7 @@ static gboolean chr_write_unblocked(GIOChannel *chan, GIOCondition cond,
     VirtConsole *vcon = opaque;
 
     vcon->watch = 0;
-    virtio_serial_throttle_port(&vcon->port, false);
+    virtio_serial_throttle_port(VIRTIO_SERIAL_PORT(vcon), false);
     return FALSE;
 }
 
@@ -39,7 +44,7 @@ static gboolean chr_write_unblocked(GIOChannel *chan, GIOCondition cond,
 static ssize_t flush_buf(VirtIOSerialPort *port,
                          const uint8_t *buf, ssize_t len)
 {
-    VirtConsole *vcon = DO_UPCAST(VirtConsole, port, port);
+    VirtConsole *vcon = VIRTIO_CONSOLE(port);
     ssize_t ret;
 
     if (!vcon->chr) {
@@ -75,7 +80,7 @@ static ssize_t flush_buf(VirtIOSerialPort *port,
 /* Callback function that's called when the guest opens/closes the port */
 static void set_guest_connected(VirtIOSerialPort *port, int guest_connected)
 {
-    VirtConsole *vcon = DO_UPCAST(VirtConsole, port, port);
+    VirtConsole *vcon = VIRTIO_CONSOLE(port);
 
     if (!vcon->chr) {
         return;
@@ -88,40 +93,42 @@ static int chr_can_read(void *opaque)
 {
     VirtConsole *vcon = opaque;
 
-    return virtio_serial_guest_ready(&vcon->port);
+    return virtio_serial_guest_ready(VIRTIO_SERIAL_PORT(vcon));
 }
 
 /* Send data from a char device over to the guest */
 static void chr_read(void *opaque, const uint8_t *buf, int size)
 {
     VirtConsole *vcon = opaque;
+    VirtIOSerialPort *port = VIRTIO_SERIAL_PORT(vcon);
 
-    trace_virtio_console_chr_read(vcon->port.id, size);
-    virtio_serial_write(&vcon->port, buf, size);
+    trace_virtio_console_chr_read(port->id, size);
+    virtio_serial_write(port, buf, size);
 }
 
 static void chr_event(void *opaque, int event)
 {
     VirtConsole *vcon = opaque;
+    VirtIOSerialPort *port = VIRTIO_SERIAL_PORT(vcon);
 
-    trace_virtio_console_chr_event(vcon->port.id, event);
+    trace_virtio_console_chr_event(port->id, event);
     switch (event) {
     case CHR_EVENT_OPENED:
-        virtio_serial_open(&vcon->port);
+        virtio_serial_open(port);
         break;
     case CHR_EVENT_CLOSED:
         if (vcon->watch) {
             g_source_remove(vcon->watch);
             vcon->watch = 0;
         }
-        virtio_serial_close(&vcon->port);
+        virtio_serial_close(port);
         break;
     }
 }
 
 static int virtconsole_initfn(VirtIOSerialPort *port)
 {
-    VirtConsole *vcon = DO_UPCAST(VirtConsole, port, port);
+    VirtConsole *vcon = VIRTIO_CONSOLE(port);
     VirtIOSerialPortClass *k = VIRTIO_SERIAL_PORT_GET_CLASS(port);
 
     if (port->id == 0 && !k->is_console) {
@@ -140,7 +147,7 @@ static int virtconsole_initfn(VirtIOSerialPort *port)
 
 static int virtconsole_exitfn(VirtIOSerialPort *port)
 {
-    VirtConsole *vcon = DO_UPCAST(VirtConsole, port, port);
+    VirtConsole *vcon = VIRTIO_CONSOLE(port);
 
     if (vcon->watch) {
         g_source_remove(vcon->watch);
@@ -168,7 +175,7 @@ static void virtconsole_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo virtconsole_info = {
-    .name          = "virtconsole",
+    .name          = TYPE_VIRTIO_CONSOLE,
     .parent        = TYPE_VIRTIO_SERIAL_PORT,
     .instance_size = sizeof(VirtConsole),
     .class_init    = virtconsole_class_init,