diff --git a/src/network/kernel/qhostaddress.cpp b/src/network/kernel/qhostaddress.cpp
index 5efd80619c..b8c0584a62 100644
--- a/src/network/kernel/qhostaddress.cpp
+++ b/src/network/kernel/qhostaddress.cpp
@@ -1258,6 +1258,18 @@ uint qHash(const QHostAddress &key, uint seed) Q_DECL_NOTHROW
 
     \sa isEqual()
 */
+
+/*!
+    \relates QHostAddress
+    \since 5.9
+    \fn operator!=(QHostAddress::SpecialAddress lhs, const QHostAddress &rhs)
+
+    Returns \c false if special address \a lhs is the same as host address \a rhs;
+    otherwise returns \c true.
+
+    \sa isEqual()
+*/
+
 #ifndef QT_NO_DATASTREAM
 
 /*! \relates QHostAddress
diff --git a/src/network/kernel/qhostaddress.h b/src/network/kernel/qhostaddress.h
index 3898fb02a8..fdbdbfc72c 100644
--- a/src/network/kernel/qhostaddress.h
+++ b/src/network/kernel/qhostaddress.h
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ Q_DECLARE_SHARED_NOT_MOVABLE_UNTIL_QT6(QHostAddress)
 
 inline bool operator ==(QHostAddress::SpecialAddress address1, const QHostAddress &address2)
 { return address2 == address1; }
+inline bool operator!=(QHostAddress::SpecialAddress lhs, const QHostAddress &rhs)
+{ return rhs != lhs; }
 
 #ifndef QT_NO_DEBUG_STREAM
 Q_NETWORK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<(QDebug, const QHostAddress &);
diff --git a/tests/auto/network/kernel/qhostaddress/tst_qhostaddress.cpp b/tests/auto/network/kernel/qhostaddress/tst_qhostaddress.cpp
index a715c38f32..bc3f5650ba 100644
--- a/tests/auto/network/kernel/qhostaddress/tst_qhostaddress.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/network/kernel/qhostaddress/tst_qhostaddress.cpp
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ void tst_QHostAddress::specialAddresses()
     QVERIFY(address == QHostAddress(address));
     QVERIFY(!(QHostAddress(address) != QHostAddress(address)));
     QVERIFY(!(QHostAddress(address) != address));
+    QVERIFY(!(address != QHostAddress(address)));
 
     {
         QHostAddress ha;