diff --git a/include/char/char.h b/include/char/char.h
index a726ddc011..32c9999113 100644
--- a/include/char/char.h
+++ b/include/char/char.h
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@ struct CharDriverState {
     void (*chr_close)(struct CharDriverState *chr);
     void (*chr_accept_input)(struct CharDriverState *chr);
     void (*chr_set_echo)(struct CharDriverState *chr, bool echo);
-    void (*chr_guest_open)(struct CharDriverState *chr);
-    void (*chr_guest_close)(struct CharDriverState *chr);
+    void (*chr_set_fe_open)(struct CharDriverState *chr, int fe_open);
     void *opaque;
     int idle_tag;
     char *label;
diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index 29a24628ed..bab2eb7a9a 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -514,8 +514,7 @@ static CharDriverState *qemu_chr_open_mux(CharDriverState *drv)
     chr->chr_update_read_handler = mux_chr_update_read_handler;
     chr->chr_accept_input = mux_chr_accept_input;
     /* Frontend guest-open / -close notification is not support with muxes */
-    chr->chr_guest_open = NULL;
-    chr->chr_guest_close = NULL;
+    chr->chr_set_fe_open = NULL;
 
     /* Muxes are always open on creation */
     qemu_chr_be_generic_open(chr);
@@ -3425,11 +3424,8 @@ void qemu_chr_fe_set_open(struct CharDriverState *chr, int fe_open)
         return;
     }
     chr->fe_open = fe_open;
-    if (fe_open && chr->chr_guest_open) {
-        chr->chr_guest_open(chr);
-    }
-    if (!fe_open && chr->chr_guest_close) {
-        chr->chr_guest_close(chr);
+    if (chr->chr_set_fe_open) {
+        chr->chr_set_fe_open(chr, fe_open);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/spice-qemu-char.c b/spice-qemu-char.c
index c39095b438..d249829624 100644
--- a/spice-qemu-char.c
+++ b/spice-qemu-char.c
@@ -176,16 +176,14 @@ static void spice_chr_close(struct CharDriverState *chr)
     g_free(s);
 }
 
-static void spice_chr_guest_open(struct CharDriverState *chr)
+static void spice_chr_set_fe_open(struct CharDriverState *chr, int fe_open)
 {
     SpiceCharDriver *s = chr->opaque;
-    vmc_register_interface(s);
-}
-
-static void spice_chr_guest_close(struct CharDriverState *chr)
-{
-    SpiceCharDriver *s = chr->opaque;
-    vmc_unregister_interface(s);
+    if (fe_open) {
+        vmc_register_interface(s);
+    } else {
+        vmc_unregister_interface(s);
+    }
 }
 
 static void print_allowed_subtypes(void)
@@ -218,8 +216,7 @@ static CharDriverState *chr_open(const char *subtype)
     chr->opaque = s;
     chr->chr_write = spice_chr_write;
     chr->chr_close = spice_chr_close;
-    chr->chr_guest_open = spice_chr_guest_open;
-    chr->chr_guest_close = spice_chr_guest_close;
+    chr->chr_set_fe_open = spice_chr_set_fe_open;
 
     QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&spice_chars, s, next);