diff --git a/hw/char/virtio-serial-bus.c b/hw/char/virtio-serial-bus.c
index 78c73e5abe..929e49c671 100644
--- a/hw/char/virtio-serial-bus.c
+++ b/hw/char/virtio-serial-bus.c
@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@ static size_t send_control_msg(VirtIOSerial *vser, void *buf, size_t len)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    memcpy(elem.in_sg[0].iov_base, buf, len);
+    /* TODO: detect a buffer that's too short, set NEEDS_RESET */
+    iov_from_buf(elem.in_sg, elem.in_num, 0, buf, len);
 
     virtqueue_push(vq, &elem, len);
     virtio_notify(VIRTIO_DEVICE(vser), vq);