diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index 415ae3d..40c5e1a 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -3289,6 +3289,15 @@
 
     ret = notifier_with_return_list_notify(&bs->before_write_notifiers, req);
 
+    if (!ret && bs->detect_zeroes != BLOCKDEV_DETECT_ZEROES_OPTIONS_OFF &&
+        !(flags & BDRV_REQ_ZERO_WRITE) && drv->bdrv_co_write_zeroes &&
+        qemu_iovec_is_zero(qiov)) {
+        flags |= BDRV_REQ_ZERO_WRITE;
+        if (bs->detect_zeroes == BLOCKDEV_DETECT_ZEROES_OPTIONS_UNMAP) {
+            flags |= BDRV_REQ_MAY_UNMAP;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (ret < 0) {
         /* Do nothing, write notifier decided to fail this request */
     } else if (flags & BDRV_REQ_ZERO_WRITE) {
diff --git a/block/qapi.c b/block/qapi.c
index af11445..75f44f1 100644
--- a/block/qapi.c
+++ b/block/qapi.c
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
     }
 
     info->backing_file_depth = bdrv_get_backing_file_depth(bs);
+    info->detect_zeroes = bs->detect_zeroes;
 
     if (bs->io_limits_enabled) {
         ThrottleConfig cfg;
diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index 78b927f..1cbcc1c 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@
     QemuOpts *opts;
     const char *id;
     bool has_driver_specific_opts;
+    BlockdevDetectZeroesOptions detect_zeroes;
     BlockDriver *drv = NULL;
 
     /* Check common options by copying from bs_opts to opts, all other options
@@ -471,6 +472,24 @@
         }
     }
 
+    detect_zeroes =
+        parse_enum_option(BlockdevDetectZeroesOptions_lookup,
+                          qemu_opt_get(opts, "detect-zeroes"),
+                          BLOCKDEV_DETECT_ZEROES_OPTIONS_MAX,
+                          BLOCKDEV_DETECT_ZEROES_OPTIONS_OFF,
+                          &error);
+    if (error) {
+        error_propagate(errp, error);
+        goto early_err;
+    }
+
+    if (detect_zeroes == BLOCKDEV_DETECT_ZEROES_OPTIONS_UNMAP &&
+        !(bdrv_flags & BDRV_O_UNMAP)) {
+        error_setg(errp, "setting detect-zeroes to unmap is not allowed "
+                         "without setting discard operation to unmap");
+        goto early_err;
+    }
+
     /* init */
     dinfo = g_malloc0(sizeof(*dinfo));
     dinfo->id = g_strdup(qemu_opts_id(opts));
@@ -481,6 +500,7 @@
     }
     dinfo->bdrv->open_flags = snapshot ? BDRV_O_SNAPSHOT : 0;
     dinfo->bdrv->read_only = ro;
+    dinfo->bdrv->detect_zeroes = detect_zeroes;
     dinfo->refcount = 1;
     if (serial != NULL) {
         dinfo->serial = g_strdup(serial);
@@ -2474,6 +2494,10 @@
             .name = "copy-on-read",
             .type = QEMU_OPT_BOOL,
             .help = "copy read data from backing file into image file",
+        },{
+            .name = "detect-zeroes",
+            .type = QEMU_OPT_STRING,
+            .help = "try to optimize zero writes (off, on, unmap)",
         },
         { /* end of list */ }
     },
diff --git a/hmp.c b/hmp.c
index 5c4d612..ff506f3 100644
--- a/hmp.c
+++ b/hmp.c
@@ -341,6 +341,11 @@
                            info->value->inserted->backing_file_depth);
         }
 
+        if (info->value->inserted->detect_zeroes != BLOCKDEV_DETECT_ZEROES_OPTIONS_OFF) {
+            monitor_printf(mon, "    Detect zeroes:    %s\n",
+                           BlockdevDetectZeroesOptions_lookup[info->value->inserted->detect_zeroes]);
+        }
+
         if (info->value->inserted->bps
             || info->value->inserted->bps_rd
             || info->value->inserted->bps_wr
diff --git a/include/block/block_int.h b/include/block/block_int.h
index 9ffcb69..b8cc926 100644
--- a/include/block/block_int.h
+++ b/include/block/block_int.h
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@
     BlockJob *job;
 
     QDict *options;
+    BlockdevDetectZeroesOptions detect_zeroes;
 };
 
 int get_tmp_filename(char *filename, int size);
diff --git a/qapi-schema.json b/qapi-schema.json
index 36cb964..70ed7e3 100644
--- a/qapi-schema.json
+++ b/qapi-schema.json
@@ -942,6 +942,8 @@
 # @encryption_key_missing: true if the backing device is encrypted but an
 #                          valid encryption key is missing
 #
+# @detect_zeroes: detect and optimize zero writes (Since 2.1)
+#
 # @bps: total throughput limit in bytes per second is specified
 #
 # @bps_rd: read throughput limit in bytes per second is specified
@@ -977,6 +979,7 @@
   'data': { 'file': 'str', '*node-name': 'str', 'ro': 'bool', 'drv': 'str',
             '*backing_file': 'str', 'backing_file_depth': 'int',
             'encrypted': 'bool', 'encryption_key_missing': 'bool',
+            'detect_zeroes': 'BlockdevDetectZeroesOptions',
             'bps': 'int', 'bps_rd': 'int', 'bps_wr': 'int',
             'iops': 'int', 'iops_rd': 'int', 'iops_wr': 'int',
             'image': 'ImageInfo',
@@ -4255,6 +4258,22 @@
   'data': [ 'ignore', 'unmap' ] }
 
 ##
+# @BlockdevDetectZeroesOptions
+#
+# Describes the operation mode for the automatic conversion of plain
+# zero writes by the OS to driver specific optimized zero write commands.
+#
+# @off:      Disabled (default)
+# @on:       Enabled
+# @unmap:    Enabled and even try to unmap blocks if possible. This requires
+#            also that @BlockdevDiscardOptions is set to unmap for this device.
+#
+# Since: 2.1
+##
+{ 'enum': 'BlockdevDetectZeroesOptions',
+  'data': [ 'off', 'on', 'unmap' ] }
+
+##
 # @BlockdevAioOptions
 #
 # Selects the AIO backend to handle I/O requests
@@ -4306,20 +4325,22 @@
 # Options that are available for all block devices, independent of the block
 # driver.
 #
-# @driver:      block driver name
-# @id:          #optional id by which the new block device can be referred to.
-#               This is a required option on the top level of blockdev-add, and
-#               currently not allowed on any other level.
-# @node-name:   #optional the name of a block driver state node (Since 2.0)
-# @discard:     #optional discard-related options (default: ignore)
-# @cache:       #optional cache-related options
-# @aio:         #optional AIO backend (default: threads)
-# @rerror:      #optional how to handle read errors on the device
-#               (default: report)
-# @werror:      #optional how to handle write errors on the device
-#               (default: enospc)
-# @read-only:   #optional whether the block device should be read-only
-#               (default: false)
+# @driver:        block driver name
+# @id:            #optional id by which the new block device can be referred to.
+#                 This is a required option on the top level of blockdev-add, and
+#                 currently not allowed on any other level.
+# @node-name:     #optional the name of a block driver state node (Since 2.0)
+# @discard:       #optional discard-related options (default: ignore)
+# @cache:         #optional cache-related options
+# @aio:           #optional AIO backend (default: threads)
+# @rerror:        #optional how to handle read errors on the device
+#                 (default: report)
+# @werror:        #optional how to handle write errors on the device
+#                 (default: enospc)
+# @read-only:     #optional whether the block device should be read-only
+#                 (default: false)
+# @detect-zeroes: #optional detect and optimize zero writes (Since 2.1)
+#                 (default: off)
 #
 # Since: 1.7
 ##
@@ -4332,7 +4353,8 @@
             '*aio': 'BlockdevAioOptions',
             '*rerror': 'BlockdevOnError',
             '*werror': 'BlockdevOnError',
-            '*read-only': 'bool' } }
+            '*read-only': 'bool',
+            '*detect-zeroes': 'BlockdevDetectZeroesOptions' } }
 
 ##
 # @BlockdevOptionsFile
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index 7587bce..c2c0823 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -414,6 +414,7 @@
     "       [,serial=s][,addr=A][,rerror=ignore|stop|report]\n"
     "       [,werror=ignore|stop|report|enospc][,id=name][,aio=threads|native]\n"
     "       [,readonly=on|off][,copy-on-read=on|off]\n"
+    "       [,detect-zeroes=on|off|unmap]\n"
     "       [[,bps=b]|[[,bps_rd=r][,bps_wr=w]]]\n"
     "       [[,iops=i]|[[,iops_rd=r][,iops_wr=w]]]\n"
     "       [[,bps_max=bm]|[[,bps_rd_max=rm][,bps_wr_max=wm]]]\n"
@@ -475,6 +476,11 @@
 @item copy-on-read=@var{copy-on-read}
 @var{copy-on-read} is "on" or "off" and enables whether to copy read backing
 file sectors into the image file.
+@item detect-zeroes=@var{detect-zeroes}
+@var{detect-zeroes} is "off", "on" or "unmap" and enables the automatic
+conversion of plain zero writes by the OS to driver specific optimized
+zero write commands. You may even choose "unmap" if @var{discard} is set
+to "unmap" to allow a zero write to be converted to an UNMAP operation.
 @end table
 
 By default, the @option{cache=writeback} mode is used. It will report data
diff --git a/qmp-commands.hx b/qmp-commands.hx
index cae890e..2c53c1b 100644
--- a/qmp-commands.hx
+++ b/qmp-commands.hx
@@ -2032,6 +2032,8 @@
          - "iops_rd_max":  read I/O operations max (json-int)
          - "iops_wr_max":  write I/O operations max (json-int)
          - "iops_size": I/O size when limiting by iops (json-int)
+         - "detect_zeroes": detect and optimize zero writing (json-string)
+             - Possible values: "off", "on", "unmap"
          - "image": the detail of the image, it is a json-object containing
             the following:
              - "filename": image file name (json-string)
@@ -2108,6 +2110,7 @@
                "iops_rd_max": 0,
                "iops_wr_max": 0,
                "iops_size": 0,
+               "detect_zeroes": "on",
                "image":{
                   "filename":"disks/test.qcow2",
                   "format":"qcow2",
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/067.out b/tests/qemu-iotests/067.out
index 8d271cc..7e090b9 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/067.out
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/067.out
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 Testing: -drive file=TEST_DIR/t.qcow2,format=qcow2,if=none,id=disk -device virtio-blk-pci,drive=disk,id=virtio0
 QMP_VERSION
 {"return": {}}
-{"return": [{"io-status": "ok", "device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": false, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "type": "unknown"}, {"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
+{"return": [{"io-status": "ok", "device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": false, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "detect_zeroes": "off", "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "type": "unknown"}, {"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": {}}
 {"timestamp": {"seconds":  TIMESTAMP, "microseconds":  TIMESTAMP}, "event": "DEVICE_DELETED", "data": {"path": "/machine/peripheral/virtio0/virtio-backend"}}
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 Testing: -drive file=TEST_DIR/t.qcow2,format=qcow2,if=none,id=disk
 QMP_VERSION
 {"return": {}}
-{"return": [{"device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": true, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
+{"return": [{"device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": true, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "detect_zeroes": "off", "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": {}}
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
 QMP_VERSION
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": "OK\r\n"}
-{"return": [{"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": true, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
+{"return": [{"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": true, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "detect_zeroes": "off", "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": {}}
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@
 QMP_VERSION
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": {}}
-{"return": [{"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": true, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
+{"return": [{"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": true, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "detect_zeroes": "off", "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": {}}
 {"return": {}}
 {"timestamp": {"seconds":  TIMESTAMP, "microseconds":  TIMESTAMP}, "event": "DEVICE_DELETED", "data": {"path": "/machine/peripheral/virtio0/virtio-backend"}}
 {"timestamp": {"seconds":  TIMESTAMP, "microseconds":  TIMESTAMP}, "event": "DEVICE_DELETED", "data": {"device": "virtio0", "path": "/machine/peripheral/virtio0"}}
 {"timestamp": {"seconds":  TIMESTAMP, "microseconds":  TIMESTAMP}, "event": "RESET"}
-{"return": [{"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"io-status": "ok", "device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": true, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
+{"return": [{"io-status": "ok", "device": "ide1-cd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "floppy0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"device": "sd0", "locked": false, "removable": true, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}, {"io-status": "ok", "device": "disk", "locked": false, "removable": true, "inserted": {"iops_rd": 0, "detect_zeroes": "off", "image": {"virtual-size": 134217728, "filename": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "cluster-size": 65536, "format": "qcow2", "actual-size": SIZE, "format-specific": {"type": "qcow2", "data": {"compat": "1.1", "lazy-refcounts": false}}, "dirty-flag": false}, "iops_wr": 0, "ro": false, "backing_file_depth": 0, "drv": "qcow2", "iops": 0, "bps_wr": 0, "encrypted": false, "bps": 0, "bps_rd": 0, "file": "TEST_DIR/t.qcow2", "encryption_key_missing": false}, "tray_open": false, "type": "unknown"}]}
 {"return": {}}
 {"timestamp": {"seconds":  TIMESTAMP, "microseconds":  TIMESTAMP}, "event": "SHUTDOWN"}
 {"timestamp": {"seconds":  TIMESTAMP, "microseconds":  TIMESTAMP}, "event": "DEVICE_TRAY_MOVED", "data": {"device": "ide1-cd0", "tray-open": true}}