diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.c b/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.c
index 3ffec66d59..a619445c3a 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.c
@@ -147,14 +147,8 @@ void virtio_bus_set_vdev_config(VirtioBusState *bus, uint8_t *config)
     }
 }
 
-/*
- * This function handles both assigning the ioeventfd handler and
- * registering it with the kernel.
- * assign: register/deregister ioeventfd with the kernel
- * set_handler: use the generic ioeventfd handler
- */
 int set_host_notifier_internal(DeviceState *proxy, VirtioBusState *bus,
-                               int n, bool assign, bool set_handler)
+                               int n, bool assign)
 {
     VirtIODevice *vdev = virtio_bus_get_device(bus);
     VirtioBusClass *k = VIRTIO_BUS_GET_CLASS(bus);
@@ -169,7 +163,7 @@ int set_host_notifier_internal(DeviceState *proxy, VirtioBusState *bus,
                          __func__, strerror(-r), r);
             return r;
         }
-        virtio_queue_set_host_notifier_fd_handler(vq, true, set_handler);
+        virtio_queue_set_host_notifier_fd_handler(vq, true, false);
         r = k->ioeventfd_assign(proxy, notifier, n, assign);
         if (r < 0) {
             error_report("%s: unable to assign ioeventfd: %d", __func__, r);
@@ -257,7 +251,7 @@ int virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(VirtioBusState *bus, int n, bool assign)
          */
         virtio_bus_stop_ioeventfd(bus);
     }
-    return set_host_notifier_internal(proxy, bus, n, assign, false);
+    return set_host_notifier_internal(proxy, bus, n, assign);
 }
 
 static char *virtio_bus_get_dev_path(DeviceState *dev)
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio.c b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
index 5221abaee4..2ece690c56 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
@@ -2152,11 +2152,21 @@ static int virtio_device_start_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         if (!virtio_queue_get_num(vdev, n)) {
             continue;
         }
-        r = set_host_notifier_internal(proxy, qbus, n, true, true);
+        r = set_host_notifier_internal(proxy, qbus, n, true);
         if (r < 0) {
             err = r;
             goto assign_error;
         }
+        virtio_queue_set_host_notifier_fd_handler(&vdev->vq[n], true, true);
+    }
+
+    for (n = 0; n < VIRTIO_QUEUE_MAX; n++) {
+        /* Kick right away to begin processing requests already in vring */
+        VirtQueue *vq = &vdev->vq[n];
+        if (!vq->vring.num) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        event_notifier_set(&vq->host_notifier);
     }
     return 0;
 
@@ -2166,7 +2176,7 @@ assign_error:
             continue;
         }
 
-        r = set_host_notifier_internal(proxy, qbus, n, false, false);
+        r = set_host_notifier_internal(proxy, qbus, n, false);
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
     return err;
@@ -2190,7 +2200,7 @@ static void virtio_device_stop_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         if (!virtio_queue_get_num(vdev, n)) {
             continue;
         }
-        r = set_host_notifier_internal(proxy, qbus, n, false, false);
+        r = set_host_notifier_internal(proxy, qbus, n, false);
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
 }
diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.h b/include/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.h
index 521fac7a1a..af6b5c4368 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.h
@@ -143,6 +143,6 @@ int virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(VirtioBusState *bus, int n, bool assign);
 /* This is temporary.  It is only needed because virtio_bus_set_host_notifier
  * sets ioeventfd_disabled but we will shortly get rid of it.  */
 int set_host_notifier_internal(DeviceState *proxy, VirtioBusState *bus,
-                               int n, bool assign, bool set_handler);
+                               int n, bool assign);
 
 #endif /* VIRTIO_BUS_H */