diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 0debe772e5..8450ee4ff4 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@
 
 #include "cpus.h"
 
+#ifdef SIGRTMIN
+#define SIG_IPI (SIGRTMIN+4)
+#else
+#define SIG_IPI SIGUSR1
+#endif
+
 static CPUState *cur_cpu;
 static CPUState *next_cpu;
 
@@ -226,6 +232,10 @@ int qemu_init_main_loop(void)
     return qemu_event_init();
 }
 
+void qemu_main_loop_start(void)
+{
+}
+
 void qemu_init_vcpu(void *_env)
 {
     CPUState *env = _env;
@@ -318,6 +328,12 @@ int qemu_init_main_loop(void)
     return 0;
 }
 
+void qemu_main_loop_start(void)
+{
+    qemu_system_ready = 1;
+    qemu_cond_broadcast(&qemu_system_cond);
+}
+
 static void qemu_wait_io_event_common(CPUState *env)
 {
     if (env->stop) {
diff --git a/cpus.h b/cpus.h
index 67c9a3b45e..4ebad3a36f 100644
--- a/cpus.h
+++ b/cpus.h
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #ifndef QEMU_CPUS_H
 #define QEMU_CPUS_H
 
-/* cpu-common.c */
+/* cpus.c */
 int qemu_init_main_loop(void);
+void qemu_main_loop_start(void);
 void resume_all_vcpus(void);
 void pause_all_vcpus(void);
 
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ void pause_all_vcpus(void);
 extern int smp_cores;
 extern int smp_threads;
 extern int debug_requested;
+extern int vmstop_requested;
 void vm_state_notify(int running, int reason);
 bool tcg_cpu_exec(void);
 void set_numa_modes(void);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index ea79ac4437..4fb55b89e8 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -244,12 +244,6 @@ int kvm_allowed = 0;
 uint32_t xen_domid;
 enum xen_mode xen_mode = XEN_EMULATE;
 
-#ifdef SIGRTMIN
-#define SIG_IPI (SIGRTMIN+4)
-#else
-#define SIG_IPI SIGUSR1
-#endif
-
 static int default_serial = 1;
 static int default_parallel = 1;
 static int default_virtcon = 1;
@@ -1717,7 +1711,7 @@ static int reset_requested;
 static int shutdown_requested;
 static int powerdown_requested;
 int debug_requested;
-static int vmstop_requested;
+int vmstop_requested;
 
 int qemu_shutdown_requested(void)
 {
@@ -1955,10 +1949,7 @@ static void main_loop(void)
 {
     int r;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_IOTHREAD
-    qemu_system_ready = 1;
-    qemu_cond_broadcast(&qemu_system_cond);
-#endif
+    qemu_main_loop_start();
 
     for (;;) {
         do {