diff --git a/hw/virtio/meson.build b/hw/virtio/meson.build
index 0ea89d8af4..3943e0d006 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/meson.build
+++ b/hw/virtio/meson.build
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ system_virtio_ss.add(files('virtio-qmp.c'))
 
 if have_vhost
   system_virtio_ss.add(files('vhost.c'))
-  system_virtio_ss.add(files('vhost-backend.c', 'vhost-iova-tree.c'))
+  system_virtio_ss.add(files('vhost-kernel.c', 'vhost-iova-tree.c'))
   if have_vhost_user
     system_virtio_ss.add(files('vhost-user.c'))
     system_virtio_ss.add(files('vhost-user-base.c'))
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-backend.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-kernel.c
similarity index 99%
rename from hw/virtio/vhost-backend.c
rename to hw/virtio/vhost-kernel.c
index caeadd069b..3390b48c6f 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-backend.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-kernel.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * vhost-backend
+ * vhost-kernel
  *
  * Copyright (c) 2013 Virtual Open Systems Sarl.
  *