diff --git a/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c b/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
index cd81893d1d01..252c3a7a230c 100644
--- a/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ int virtio_blk_data_plane_start(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         goto fail_guest_notifiers;
     }
 
+    /*
+     * Batch all the host notifiers in a single transaction to avoid
+     * quadratic time complexity in address_space_update_ioeventfds().
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_begin();
 
     /* Set up virtqueue notify */
@@ -211,6 +215,10 @@ int virtio_blk_data_plane_start(VirtIODevice *vdev)
                 virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(VIRTIO_BUS(qbus), i, false);
             }
 
+            /*
+             * The transaction expects the ioeventfds to be open when it
+             * commits. Do it now, before the cleanup loop.
+             */
             memory_region_transaction_commit();
 
             while (j--) {
@@ -330,12 +338,20 @@ void virtio_blk_data_plane_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
 
     aio_context_release(s->ctx);
 
+    /*
+     * Batch all the host notifiers in a single transaction to avoid
+     * quadratic time complexity in address_space_update_ioeventfds().
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_begin();
 
     for (i = 0; i < nvqs; i++) {
         virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(VIRTIO_BUS(qbus), i, false);
     }
 
+    /*
+     * The transaction expects the ioeventfds to be open when it
+     * commits. Do it now, before the cleanup loop.
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_commit();
 
     for (i = 0; i < nvqs; i++) {
diff --git a/hw/scsi/virtio-scsi-dataplane.c b/hw/scsi/virtio-scsi-dataplane.c
index 28e003250a11..18eb824c97f5 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/virtio-scsi-dataplane.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/virtio-scsi-dataplane.c
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ int virtio_scsi_dataplane_start(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         goto fail_guest_notifiers;
     }
 
+    /*
+     * Batch all the host notifiers in a single transaction to avoid
+     * quadratic time complexity in address_space_update_ioeventfds().
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_begin();
 
     rc = virtio_scsi_set_host_notifier(s, vs->ctrl_vq, 0);
@@ -198,6 +202,10 @@ fail_host_notifiers:
         virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(VIRTIO_BUS(qbus), i, false);
     }
 
+    /*
+     * The transaction expects the ioeventfds to be open when it
+     * commits. Do it now, before the cleanup loop.
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_commit();
 
     for (i = 0; i < vq_init_count; i++) {
@@ -238,12 +246,20 @@ void virtio_scsi_dataplane_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
 
     blk_drain_all(); /* ensure there are no in-flight requests */
 
+    /*
+     * Batch all the host notifiers in a single transaction to avoid
+     * quadratic time complexity in address_space_update_ioeventfds().
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_begin();
 
     for (i = 0; i < vs->conf.num_queues + 2; i++) {
         virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(VIRTIO_BUS(qbus), i, false);
     }
 
+    /*
+     * The transaction expects the ioeventfds to be open when it
+     * commits. Do it now, before the cleanup loop.
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_commit();
 
     for (i = 0; i < vs->conf.num_queues + 2; i++) {
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio.c b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
index e02544b2df76..260ad9226667 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
@@ -3730,6 +3730,10 @@ static int virtio_device_start_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
     VirtioBusState *qbus = VIRTIO_BUS(qdev_get_parent_bus(DEVICE(vdev)));
     int i, n, r, err;
 
+    /*
+     * Batch all the host notifiers in a single transaction to avoid
+     * quadratic time complexity in address_space_update_ioeventfds().
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_begin();
     for (n = 0; n < VIRTIO_QUEUE_MAX; n++) {
         VirtQueue *vq = &vdev->vq[n];
@@ -3768,6 +3772,10 @@ assign_error:
         r = virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(qbus, n, false);
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
+    /*
+     * The transaction expects the ioeventfds to be open when it
+     * commits. Do it now, before the cleanup loop.
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_commit();
 
     while (--i >= 0) {
@@ -3792,6 +3800,10 @@ static void virtio_device_stop_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
     VirtioBusState *qbus = VIRTIO_BUS(qdev_get_parent_bus(DEVICE(vdev)));
     int n, r;
 
+    /*
+     * Batch all the host notifiers in a single transaction to avoid
+     * quadratic time complexity in address_space_update_ioeventfds().
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_begin();
     for (n = 0; n < VIRTIO_QUEUE_MAX; n++) {
         VirtQueue *vq = &vdev->vq[n];
@@ -3803,6 +3815,10 @@ static void virtio_device_stop_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         r = virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(qbus, n, false);
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
+    /*
+     * The transaction expects the ioeventfds to be open when it
+     * commits. Do it now, before the cleanup loop.
+     */
     memory_region_transaction_commit();
 
     for (n = 0; n < VIRTIO_QUEUE_MAX; n++) {
