diff --git a/python/qemu/qmp/protocol.py b/python/qemu/qmp/protocol.py
index 15909b7dba..6d3d739daa 100644
--- a/python/qemu/qmp/protocol.py
+++ b/python/qemu/qmp/protocol.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from enum import Enum
 from functools import wraps
 import logging
+import socket
 from ssl import SSLContext
 from typing import (
     Any,
@@ -296,6 +297,19 @@ async def start_server_and_accept(
         await self.accept()
         assert self.runstate == Runstate.RUNNING
 
+    @upper_half
+    @require(Runstate.IDLE)
+    async def open_with_socket(self, sock: socket.socket) -> None:
+        """
+        Start connection with given socket.
+
+        :param sock: A socket.
+
+        :raise StateError: When the `Runstate` is not `IDLE`.
+        """
+        self._reader, self._writer = await asyncio.open_connection(sock=sock)
+        self._set_state(Runstate.CONNECTING)
+
     @upper_half
     @require(Runstate.IDLE)
     async def start_server(self, address: SocketAddrT,
@@ -343,11 +357,12 @@ async def accept(self) -> None:
             protocol-level failure occurs while establishing a new
             session, the wrapped error may also be an `QMPError`.
         """
-        if self._accepted is None:
-            raise QMPError("Cannot call accept() before start_server().")
-        await self._session_guard(
-            self._do_accept(),
-            'Failed to establish connection')
+        if not self._reader:
+            if self._accepted is None:
+                raise QMPError("Cannot call accept() before start_server().")
+            await self._session_guard(
+                self._do_accept(),
+                'Failed to establish connection')
         await self._session_guard(
             self._establish_session(),
             'Failed to establish session')