diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/vhost.h b/include/hw/virtio/vhost.h
index eaf628f656..1cafa0d776 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/vhost.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/vhost.h
@@ -203,24 +203,26 @@ static inline bool vhost_dev_is_started(struct vhost_dev *hdev)
  * vhost_dev_start() - start the vhost device
  * @hdev: common vhost_dev structure
  * @vdev: the VirtIODevice structure
+ * @vrings: true to have vrings enabled in this call
  *
  * Starts the vhost device. From this point VirtIO feature negotiation
  * can start and the device can start processing VirtIO transactions.
  *
  * Return: 0 on success, < 0 on error.
  */
-int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev);
+int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev, bool vrings);
 
 /**
  * vhost_dev_stop() - stop the vhost device
  * @hdev: common vhost_dev structure
  * @vdev: the VirtIODevice structure
+ * @vrings: true to have vrings disabled in this call
  *
  * Stop the vhost device. After the device is stopped the notifiers
  * can be disabled (@vhost_dev_disable_notifiers) and the device can
  * be torn down (@vhost_dev_cleanup).
  */
-void vhost_dev_stop(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev);
+void vhost_dev_stop(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev, bool vrings);
 
 /**
  * DOC: vhost device configuration handling
diff --git a/backends/cryptodev-vhost.c b/backends/cryptodev-vhost.c
index bc13e466b4..572f87b3be 100644
--- a/backends/cryptodev-vhost.c
+++ b/backends/cryptodev-vhost.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ cryptodev_vhost_start_one(CryptoDevBackendVhost *crypto,
         goto fail_notifiers;
     }
 
-    r = vhost_dev_start(&crypto->dev, dev);
+    r = vhost_dev_start(&crypto->dev, dev, false);
     if (r < 0) {
         goto fail_start;
     }
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static void
 cryptodev_vhost_stop_one(CryptoDevBackendVhost *crypto,
                                  VirtIODevice *dev)
 {
-    vhost_dev_stop(&crypto->dev, dev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&crypto->dev, dev, false);
     vhost_dev_disable_notifiers(&crypto->dev, dev);
 }
 
diff --git a/backends/vhost-user.c b/backends/vhost-user.c
index 5dedb2d987..7bfcaef976 100644
--- a/backends/vhost-user.c
+++ b/backends/vhost-user.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ vhost_user_backend_start(VhostUserBackend *b)
     }
 
     b->dev.acked_features = b->vdev->guest_features;
-    ret = vhost_dev_start(&b->dev, b->vdev);
+    ret = vhost_dev_start(&b->dev, b->vdev, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Error start vhost dev");
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ vhost_user_backend_stop(VhostUserBackend *b)
         return;
     }
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(&b->dev, b->vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&b->dev, b->vdev, true);
 
     if (k->set_guest_notifiers) {
         ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent,
diff --git a/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c b/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
index 0d5190accf..1177064631 100644
--- a/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ static int vhost_user_blk_start(VirtIODevice *vdev, Error **errp)
     }
 
     s->dev.vq_index_end = s->dev.nvqs;
-    ret = vhost_dev_start(&s->dev, vdev);
+    ret = vhost_dev_start(&s->dev, vdev, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_setg_errno(errp, -ret, "Error starting vhost");
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ static void vhost_user_blk_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         return;
     }
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(&s->dev, vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&s->dev, vdev, true);
 
     ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, s->dev.nvqs, false);
     if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/hw/net/vhost_net.c b/hw/net/vhost_net.c
index 26e4930676..043058ff43 100644
--- a/hw/net/vhost_net.c
+++ b/hw/net/vhost_net.c
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ static int vhost_net_start_one(struct vhost_net *net,
         goto fail_notifiers;
     }
 
-    r = vhost_dev_start(&net->dev, dev);
+    r = vhost_dev_start(&net->dev, dev, false);
     if (r < 0) {
         goto fail_start;
     }
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ fail:
     if (net->nc->info->poll) {
         net->nc->info->poll(net->nc, true);
     }
-    vhost_dev_stop(&net->dev, dev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&net->dev, dev, false);
 fail_start:
     vhost_dev_disable_notifiers(&net->dev, dev);
 fail_notifiers:
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ static void vhost_net_stop_one(struct vhost_net *net,
     if (net->nc->info->poll) {
         net->nc->info->poll(net->nc, true);
     }
-    vhost_dev_stop(&net->dev, dev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&net->dev, dev, false);
     if (net->nc->info->stop) {
         net->nc->info->stop(net->nc);
     }
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ err_start:
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(&net->dev, vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&net->dev, vdev, false);
 
     return r;
 }
diff --git a/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi-common.c b/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi-common.c
index 767f827e55..18ea5dcfa1 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi-common.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi-common.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ int vhost_scsi_common_start(VHostSCSICommon *vsc)
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
     }
 
-    ret = vhost_dev_start(&vsc->dev, vdev);
+    ret = vhost_dev_start(&vsc->dev, vdev, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Error start vhost dev");
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ void vhost_scsi_common_stop(VHostSCSICommon *vsc)
     VirtioBusClass *k = VIRTIO_BUS_GET_CLASS(qbus);
     int ret = 0;
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(&vsc->dev, vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&vsc->dev, vdev, true);
 
     if (k->set_guest_notifiers) {
         ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, vsc->dev.nvqs, false);
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-fs.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-fs.c
index dc4014cdef..d97b179e6f 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-fs.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-fs.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ static void vuf_start(VirtIODevice *vdev)
     }
 
     fs->vhost_dev.acked_features = vdev->guest_features;
-    ret = vhost_dev_start(&fs->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    ret = vhost_dev_start(&fs->vhost_dev, vdev, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Error starting vhost: %d", -ret);
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ static void vuf_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         return;
     }
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(&fs->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&fs->vhost_dev, vdev, true);
 
     ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, fs->vhost_dev.nvqs, false);
     if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-gpio.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-gpio.c
index b2496c824c..b38e4d4cf0 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-gpio.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-gpio.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ static int vu_gpio_start(VirtIODevice *vdev)
      */
     vhost_ack_features(&gpio->vhost_dev, feature_bits, vdev->guest_features);
 
-    ret = vhost_dev_start(&gpio->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    ret = vhost_dev_start(&gpio->vhost_dev, vdev, false);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Error starting vhost-user-gpio: %d", ret);
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ static void vu_gpio_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         return;
     }
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(vhost_dev, vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(vhost_dev, vdev, false);
 
     ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, vhost_dev->nvqs, false);
     if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-i2c.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-i2c.c
index 1c9f3d20dc..dc5c828ba6 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-i2c.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-i2c.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static void vu_i2c_start(VirtIODevice *vdev)
 
     i2c->vhost_dev.acked_features = vdev->guest_features;
 
-    ret = vhost_dev_start(&i2c->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    ret = vhost_dev_start(&i2c->vhost_dev, vdev, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Error starting vhost-user-i2c: %d", -ret);
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ static void vu_i2c_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         return;
     }
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(&i2c->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&i2c->vhost_dev, vdev, true);
 
     ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, i2c->vhost_dev.nvqs, false);
     if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-rng.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-rng.c
index f9084cde58..201a39e220 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-rng.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-rng.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static void vu_rng_start(VirtIODevice *vdev)
     }
 
     rng->vhost_dev.acked_features = vdev->guest_features;
-    ret = vhost_dev_start(&rng->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    ret = vhost_dev_start(&rng->vhost_dev, vdev, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Error starting vhost-user-rng: %d", -ret);
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ static void vu_rng_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         return;
     }
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(&rng->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&rng->vhost_dev, vdev, true);
 
     ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, rng->vhost_dev.nvqs, false);
     if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-vsock-common.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-vsock-common.c
index a67a275de2..d21c72b401 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-vsock-common.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-vsock-common.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ int vhost_vsock_common_start(VirtIODevice *vdev)
     }
 
     vvc->vhost_dev.acked_features = vdev->guest_features;
-    ret = vhost_dev_start(&vvc->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    ret = vhost_dev_start(&vvc->vhost_dev, vdev, true);
     if (ret < 0) {
         error_report("Error starting vhost: %d", -ret);
         goto err_guest_notifiers;
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ void vhost_vsock_common_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         return;
     }
 
-    vhost_dev_stop(&vvc->vhost_dev, vdev);
+    vhost_dev_stop(&vvc->vhost_dev, vdev, true);
 
     ret = k->set_guest_notifiers(qbus->parent, vvc->vhost_dev.nvqs, false);
     if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost.c b/hw/virtio/vhost.c
index d1c4c20b8c..7fb008bc9e 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost.c
@@ -1777,15 +1777,36 @@ int vhost_dev_get_inflight(struct vhost_dev *dev, uint16_t queue_size,
     return 0;
 }
 
+static int vhost_dev_set_vring_enable(struct vhost_dev *hdev, int enable)
+{
+    if (!hdev->vhost_ops->vhost_set_vring_enable) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    /*
+     * For vhost-user devices, if VHOST_USER_F_PROTOCOL_FEATURES has not
+     * been negotiated, the rings start directly in the enabled state, and
+     * .vhost_set_vring_enable callback will fail since
+     * VHOST_USER_SET_VRING_ENABLE is not supported.
+     */
+    if (hdev->vhost_ops->backend_type == VHOST_BACKEND_TYPE_USER &&
+        !virtio_has_feature(hdev->backend_features,
+                            VHOST_USER_F_PROTOCOL_FEATURES)) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    return hdev->vhost_ops->vhost_set_vring_enable(hdev, enable);
+}
+
 /* Host notifiers must be enabled at this point. */
-int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
+int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev, bool vrings)
 {
     int i, r;
 
     /* should only be called after backend is connected */
     assert(hdev->vhost_ops);
 
-    trace_vhost_dev_start(hdev, vdev->name);
+    trace_vhost_dev_start(hdev, vdev->name, vrings);
 
     vdev->vhost_started = true;
     hdev->started = true;
@@ -1830,10 +1851,16 @@ int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
             goto fail_log;
         }
     }
+    if (vrings) {
+        r = vhost_dev_set_vring_enable(hdev, true);
+        if (r) {
+            goto fail_log;
+        }
+    }
     if (hdev->vhost_ops->vhost_dev_start) {
         r = hdev->vhost_ops->vhost_dev_start(hdev, true);
         if (r) {
-            goto fail_log;
+            goto fail_start;
         }
     }
     if (vhost_dev_has_iommu(hdev) &&
@@ -1848,6 +1875,10 @@ int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
         }
     }
     return 0;
+fail_start:
+    if (vrings) {
+        vhost_dev_set_vring_enable(hdev, false);
+    }
 fail_log:
     vhost_log_put(hdev, false);
 fail_vq:
@@ -1866,18 +1897,21 @@ fail_features:
 }
 
 /* Host notifiers must be enabled at this point. */
-void vhost_dev_stop(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
+void vhost_dev_stop(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev, bool vrings)
 {
     int i;
 
     /* should only be called after backend is connected */
     assert(hdev->vhost_ops);
 
-    trace_vhost_dev_stop(hdev, vdev->name);
+    trace_vhost_dev_stop(hdev, vdev->name, vrings);
 
     if (hdev->vhost_ops->vhost_dev_start) {
         hdev->vhost_ops->vhost_dev_start(hdev, false);
     }
+    if (vrings) {
+        vhost_dev_set_vring_enable(hdev, false);
+    }
     for (i = 0; i < hdev->nvqs; ++i) {
         vhost_virtqueue_stop(hdev,
                              vdev,
diff --git a/hw/virtio/trace-events b/hw/virtio/trace-events
index 820dadc26c..14fc5b9bb2 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/trace-events
+++ b/hw/virtio/trace-events
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ vhost_section(const char *name) "%s"
 vhost_reject_section(const char *name, int d) "%s:%d"
 vhost_iotlb_miss(void *dev, int step) "%p step %d"
 vhost_dev_cleanup(void *dev) "%p"
-vhost_dev_start(void *dev, const char *name) "%p:%s"
-vhost_dev_stop(void *dev, const char *name) "%p:%s"
+vhost_dev_start(void *dev, const char *name, bool vrings) "%p:%s vrings:%d"
+vhost_dev_stop(void *dev, const char *name, bool vrings) "%p:%s vrings:%d"
 
 
 # vhost-user.c
