diff --git a/ui/gtk.c b/ui/gtk.c
index ce7018e5ae..c8dbd5c7f0 100644
--- a/ui/gtk.c
+++ b/ui/gtk.c
@@ -1598,11 +1598,16 @@ static void gd_vc_chr_set_echo(CharDriverState *chr, bool echo)
 static int nb_vcs;
 static CharDriverState *vcs[MAX_VCS];
 
-static CharDriverState *gd_vc_handler(ChardevVC *unused, Error **errp)
+static CharDriverState *gd_vc_handler(ChardevVC *vc, Error **errp)
 {
+    ChardevCommon *common = qapi_ChardevVC_base(vc);
     CharDriverState *chr;
 
-    chr = g_malloc0(sizeof(*chr));
+    chr = qemu_chr_alloc(common, errp);
+    if (!chr) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     chr->chr_write = gd_vc_chr_write;
     chr->chr_set_echo = gd_vc_chr_set_echo;