diff --git a/tests/Makefile.include b/tests/Makefile.include
index fbb1a4b211..66c8cc3123 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.include
+++ b/tests/Makefile.include
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ check-help:
 	@echo "Individual test suites:"
 	@echo " $(MAKE) check-qtest-TARGET       Run qtest tests for given target"
 	@echo " $(MAKE) check-qtest              Run qtest tests"
+	@echo " $(MAKE) check-functional         Run python-based functional tests"
+	@echo " $(MAKE) check-functional-TARGET  Run functional tests for a given target"
 	@echo " $(MAKE) check-unit               Run qobject tests"
 	@echo " $(MAKE) check-qapi-schema        Run QAPI schema tests"
 	@echo " $(MAKE) check-block              Run block tests"
@@ -152,6 +154,15 @@ check-acceptance-deprecated-warning:
 
 check-acceptance: check-acceptance-deprecated-warning | check-avocado
 
+FUNCTIONAL_TARGETS=$(patsubst %-softmmu,check-functional-%, $(filter %-softmmu,$(TARGETS)))
+.PHONY: $(FUNCTIONAL_TARGETS)
+$(FUNCTIONAL_TARGETS):
+	@$(MAKE) SPEED=thorough $(subst -functional,-func,$@)
+
+.PHONY: check-functional
+check-functional:
+	@$(MAKE) SPEED=thorough check-func check-func-quick
+
 # Consolidated targets
 
 .PHONY: check check-clean get-vm-images
diff --git a/tests/functional/meson.build b/tests/functional/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..052d2e8781
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+# QEMU functional tests:
+# Tests that are put in the 'quick' category are run by default during
+# 'make check'. Everything that should not be run during 'make check'
+# (e.g. tests that fetch assets from the internet) should be put into
+# the 'thorough' category instead.
+
+# Most tests run too slow with TCI enabled, so skip the functional tests there
+if get_option('tcg_interpreter')
+  subdir_done()
+endif
+
+# Timeouts for individual tests that can be slow e.g. with debugging enabled
+test_timeouts = {
+}
+
+tests_generic_system = [
+]
+
+tests_generic_linuxuser = [
+]
+
+tests_generic_bsduser = [
+]
+
+tests_x86_64_system_quick = [
+]
+
+tests_x86_64_system_thorough = [
+]
+
+foreach speed : ['quick', 'thorough']
+  foreach dir : target_dirs
+
+    target_base = dir.split('-')[0]
+
+    if dir.endswith('-softmmu')
+      sysmode = 'system'
+      test_emulator = emulators['qemu-system-' + target_base]
+    elif dir.endswith('-linux-user')
+      sysmode = 'linuxuser'
+      test_emulator = emulators['qemu-' + target_base]
+    elif dir.endswith('-bsd-user')
+      sysmode = 'bsduser'
+      test_emulator = emulators['qemu-' + target_base]
+    else
+      continue
+    endif
+
+    if speed == 'quick'
+      suites = ['func-quick', 'func-' + target_base]
+      target_tests = get_variable('tests_' + target_base + '_' + sysmode + '_quick', []) \
+                     + get_variable('tests_generic_' + sysmode)
+    else
+      suites = ['func-' + speed, 'func-' + target_base + '-' + speed, speed]
+      target_tests = get_variable('tests_' + target_base + '_' + sysmode + '_' + speed, [])
+    endif
+
+    test_deps = roms
+    test_env = environment()
+    if have_tools
+      test_env.set('QEMU_TEST_QEMU_IMG', meson.global_build_root() / 'qemu-img')
+      test_deps += [qemu_img]
+    endif
+    test_env.set('QEMU_TEST_QEMU_BINARY', test_emulator.full_path())
+    test_env.set('QEMU_BUILD_ROOT', meson.project_build_root())
+    test_env.set('PYTHONPATH', meson.project_source_root() / 'python:' +
+                               meson.current_source_dir())
+
+    foreach test : target_tests
+      test('func-@0@/@1@'.format(target_base, test),
+           python,
+           depends: [test_deps, test_emulator, emulator_modules],
+           env: test_env,
+           args: [meson.current_source_dir() / 'test_' + test + '.py'],
+           protocol: 'tap',
+           timeout: test_timeouts.get(test, 60),
+           priority: test_timeouts.get(test, 60),
+           suite: suites)
+    endforeach
+  endforeach
+endforeach
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index 80dd3029cf..907a4c1c98 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -85,3 +85,4 @@ subdir('unit')
 subdir('qapi-schema')
 subdir('qtest')
 subdir('migration')
+subdir('functional')