diff --git a/nova/tests/test_libvirt_config.py b/nova/tests/test_libvirt_config.py
index e270ca2aacb..a00d5b57281 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_libvirt_config.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_libvirt_config.py
@@ -319,6 +319,22 @@ def test_config_file(self):
               <target bus="ide" dev="/dev/hda"/>
             </disk>""")
 
+    def test_config_file_serial(self):
+        obj = config.LibvirtConfigGuestDisk()
+        obj.source_type = "file"
+        obj.source_path = "/tmp/hello"
+        obj.target_dev = "/dev/hda"
+        obj.target_bus = "ide"
+        obj.serial = "7a97c4a3-6f59-41d4-bf47-191d7f97f8e9"
+
+        xml = obj.to_xml()
+        self.assertXmlEqual(xml, """
+            <disk type="file" device="disk">
+              <source file="/tmp/hello"/>
+              <target bus="ide" dev="/dev/hda"/>
+              <serial>7a97c4a3-6f59-41d4-bf47-191d7f97f8e9</serial>
+            </disk>""")
+
     def test_config_block(self):
         obj = config.LibvirtConfigGuestDisk()
         obj.source_type = "block"
diff --git a/nova/virt/libvirt/config.py b/nova/virt/libvirt/config.py
index 8a924df565d..4c3483cb98e 100644
--- a/nova/virt/libvirt/config.py
+++ b/nova/virt/libvirt/config.py
@@ -363,6 +363,7 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         self.auth_username = None
         self.auth_secret_type = None
         self.auth_secret_uuid = None
+        self.serial = None
 
     def format_dom(self):
         dev = super(LibvirtConfigGuestDisk, self).format_dom()
@@ -404,6 +405,9 @@ def format_dom(self):
             dev.append(etree.Element("target", dev=self.target_dev,
                                      bus=self.target_bus))
 
+        if self.serial is not None:
+            dev.append(self._text_node("serial", self.serial))
+
         return dev