diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 68f08f5b2d..361678e459 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -983,6 +983,8 @@ static void start_tcg_kick_timer(void)
     if (!tcg_kick_vcpu_timer && CPU_NEXT(first_cpu)) {
         tcg_kick_vcpu_timer = timer_new_ns(QEMU_CLOCK_VIRTUAL,
                                            kick_tcg_thread, NULL);
+    }
+    if (tcg_kick_vcpu_timer && !timer_pending(tcg_kick_vcpu_timer)) {
         timer_mod(tcg_kick_vcpu_timer, qemu_tcg_next_kick());
     }
 }
@@ -990,9 +992,8 @@ static void start_tcg_kick_timer(void)
 static void stop_tcg_kick_timer(void)
 {
     assert(!mttcg_enabled);
-    if (tcg_kick_vcpu_timer) {
+    if (tcg_kick_vcpu_timer && timer_pending(tcg_kick_vcpu_timer)) {
         timer_del(tcg_kick_vcpu_timer);
-        tcg_kick_vcpu_timer = NULL;
     }
 }