diff --git a/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c b/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
index 28409c90f7..16ad400889 100644
--- a/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/vhost-user-blk.c
@@ -226,14 +226,10 @@ static void vhost_user_blk_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
 static void vhost_user_blk_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
 {
     VHostUserBlk *s = VHOST_USER_BLK(vdev);
-    bool should_start = virtio_device_started(vdev, status);
+    bool should_start = virtio_device_should_start(vdev, status);
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     int ret;
 
-    if (!vdev->vm_running) {
-        should_start = false;
-    }
-
     if (!s->connected) {
         return;
     }
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-fs.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-fs.c
index ad0f91c607..1c40f42045 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-fs.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-fs.c
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ static void vuf_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
 static void vuf_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
 {
     VHostUserFS *fs = VHOST_USER_FS(vdev);
-    bool should_start = virtio_device_started(vdev, status);
+    bool should_start = virtio_device_should_start(vdev, status);
 
     if (vhost_dev_is_started(&fs->vhost_dev) == should_start) {
         return;
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-gpio.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-gpio.c
index 8b40fe450c..677d1c7730 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-gpio.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-gpio.c
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ static void vu_gpio_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
 static void vu_gpio_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
 {
     VHostUserGPIO *gpio = VHOST_USER_GPIO(vdev);
-    bool should_start = virtio_device_started(vdev, status);
+    bool should_start = virtio_device_should_start(vdev, status);
 
     trace_virtio_gpio_set_status(status);
 
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-i2c.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-i2c.c
index bc58b6c0d1..864eba695e 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-i2c.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-i2c.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static void vu_i2c_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
 static void vu_i2c_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
 {
     VHostUserI2C *i2c = VHOST_USER_I2C(vdev);
-    bool should_start = virtio_device_started(vdev, status);
+    bool should_start = virtio_device_should_start(vdev, status);
 
     if (vhost_dev_is_started(&i2c->vhost_dev) == should_start) {
         return;
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-rng.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-rng.c
index bc1f36c5ac..8b47287875 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-rng.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-rng.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ static void vu_rng_stop(VirtIODevice *vdev)
 static void vu_rng_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
 {
     VHostUserRNG *rng = VHOST_USER_RNG(vdev);
-    bool should_start = virtio_device_started(vdev, status);
+    bool should_start = virtio_device_should_start(vdev, status);
 
     if (vhost_dev_is_started(&rng->vhost_dev) == should_start) {
         return;
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-vsock.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-vsock.c
index 7b67e29d83..9431b9792c 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-user-vsock.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-user-vsock.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ const VhostDevConfigOps vsock_ops = {
 static void vuv_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
 {
     VHostVSockCommon *vvc = VHOST_VSOCK_COMMON(vdev);
-    bool should_start = virtio_device_started(vdev, status);
+    bool should_start = virtio_device_should_start(vdev, status);
 
     if (vhost_dev_is_started(&vvc->vhost_dev) == should_start) {
         return;
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-vsock.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-vsock.c
index 7dc3c73931..aa16d584ee 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost-vsock.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-vsock.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ static int vhost_vsock_set_running(VirtIODevice *vdev, int start)
 static void vhost_vsock_set_status(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
 {
     VHostVSockCommon *vvc = VHOST_VSOCK_COMMON(vdev);
-    bool should_start = virtio_device_started(vdev, status);
+    bool should_start = virtio_device_should_start(vdev, status);
     int ret;
 
     if (vhost_dev_is_started(&vvc->vhost_dev) == should_start) {
diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/virtio.h b/include/hw/virtio/virtio.h
index 1423dba379..141a253a2c 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/virtio.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/virtio.h
@@ -395,6 +395,24 @@ static inline bool virtio_device_started(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
         return vdev->started;
     }
 
+    return status & VIRTIO_CONFIG_S_DRIVER_OK;
+}
+
+/**
+ * virtio_device_should_start() - check if device startable
+ * @vdev - the VirtIO device
+ * @status - the devices status bits
+ *
+ * This is similar to virtio_device_started() but also encapsulates a
+ * check on the VM status which would prevent a device starting
+ * anyway.
+ */
+static inline bool virtio_device_should_start(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
+{
+    if (vdev->use_started) {
+        return vdev->started;
+    }
+
     if (!vdev->vm_running) {
         return false;
     }