diff --git a/include/migration/misc.h b/include/migration/misc.h
index b9d8e787af..d2762257aa 100644
--- a/include/migration/misc.h
+++ b/include/migration/misc.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ void migration_object_init(void);
 void migration_shutdown(void);
 void qemu_start_incoming_migration(const char *uri, Error **errp);
 bool migration_is_idle(void);
+bool migration_is_active(MigrationState *);
 void add_migration_state_change_notifier(Notifier *notify);
 void remove_migration_state_change_notifier(Notifier *notify);
 bool migration_in_setup(MigrationState *);
diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index 5f7e4d15e9..0c51aa6ac7 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -1533,8 +1533,7 @@ static void migrate_fd_cleanup(MigrationState *s)
         qemu_fclose(tmp);
     }
 
-    assert((s->state != MIGRATION_STATUS_ACTIVE) &&
-           (s->state != MIGRATION_STATUS_POSTCOPY_ACTIVE));
+    assert(!migration_is_active(s));
 
     if (s->state == MIGRATION_STATUS_CANCELLING) {
         migrate_set_state(&s->state, MIGRATION_STATUS_CANCELLING,
@@ -1703,6 +1702,12 @@ bool migration_is_idle(void)
     return false;
 }
 
+bool migration_is_active(MigrationState *s)
+{
+    return (s->state == MIGRATION_STATUS_ACTIVE ||
+            s->state == MIGRATION_STATUS_POSTCOPY_ACTIVE);
+}
+
 void migrate_init(MigrationState *s)
 {
     /*
@@ -3266,8 +3271,7 @@ static void *migration_thread(void *opaque)
 
     trace_migration_thread_setup_complete();
 
-    while (s->state == MIGRATION_STATUS_ACTIVE ||
-           s->state == MIGRATION_STATUS_POSTCOPY_ACTIVE) {
+    while (migration_is_active(s)) {
         int64_t current_time;
 
         if (urgent || !qemu_file_rate_limit(s->to_dst_file)) {