diff --git a/include/sysemu/runstate.h b/include/sysemu/runstate.h
index 7beb29c2e2..764a0fc6a4 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/runstate.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/runstate.h
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ VMChangeStateEntry *qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler(VMChangeStateHandler *cb,
                                                      void *opaque);
 VMChangeStateEntry *qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler_prio(
         VMChangeStateHandler *cb, void *opaque, int priority);
+VMChangeStateEntry *
+qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler_prio_full(VMChangeStateHandler *cb,
+                                           VMChangeStateHandler *prepare_cb,
+                                           void *opaque, int priority);
 VMChangeStateEntry *qdev_add_vm_change_state_handler(DeviceState *dev,
                                                      VMChangeStateHandler *cb,
                                                      void *opaque);
diff --git a/softmmu/runstate.c b/softmmu/runstate.c
index f3bd862818..1652ed0439 100644
--- a/softmmu/runstate.c
+++ b/softmmu/runstate.c
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ void qemu_system_vmstop_request(RunState state)
 }
 struct VMChangeStateEntry {
     VMChangeStateHandler *cb;
+    VMChangeStateHandler *prepare_cb;
     void *opaque;
     QTAILQ_ENTRY(VMChangeStateEntry) entries;
     int priority;
@@ -293,12 +294,39 @@ static QTAILQ_HEAD(, VMChangeStateEntry) vm_change_state_head =
  */
 VMChangeStateEntry *qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler_prio(
         VMChangeStateHandler *cb, void *opaque, int priority)
+{
+    return qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler_prio_full(cb, NULL, opaque,
+                                                      priority);
+}
+
+/**
+ * qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler_prio_full:
+ * @cb: the main callback to invoke
+ * @prepare_cb: a callback to invoke before the main callback
+ * @opaque: user data passed to the callbacks
+ * @priority: low priorities execute first when the vm runs and the reverse is
+ *            true when the vm stops
+ *
+ * Register a main callback function and an optional prepare callback function
+ * that are invoked when the vm starts or stops running. The main callback and
+ * the prepare callback are called in two separate phases: First all prepare
+ * callbacks are called and only then all main callbacks are called. As its
+ * name suggests, the prepare callback can be used to do some preparatory work
+ * before invoking the main callback.
+ *
+ * Returns: an entry to be freed using qemu_del_vm_change_state_handler()
+ */
+VMChangeStateEntry *
+qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler_prio_full(VMChangeStateHandler *cb,
+                                           VMChangeStateHandler *prepare_cb,
+                                           void *opaque, int priority)
 {
     VMChangeStateEntry *e;
     VMChangeStateEntry *other;
 
     e = g_malloc0(sizeof(*e));
     e->cb = cb;
+    e->prepare_cb = prepare_cb;
     e->opaque = opaque;
     e->priority = priority;
 
@@ -333,10 +361,22 @@ void vm_state_notify(bool running, RunState state)
     trace_vm_state_notify(running, state, RunState_str(state));
 
     if (running) {
+        QTAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(e, &vm_change_state_head, entries, next) {
+            if (e->prepare_cb) {
+                e->prepare_cb(e->opaque, running, state);
+            }
+        }
+
         QTAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(e, &vm_change_state_head, entries, next) {
             e->cb(e->opaque, running, state);
         }
     } else {
+        QTAILQ_FOREACH_REVERSE_SAFE(e, &vm_change_state_head, entries, next) {
+            if (e->prepare_cb) {
+                e->prepare_cb(e->opaque, running, state);
+            }
+        }
+
         QTAILQ_FOREACH_REVERSE_SAFE(e, &vm_change_state_head, entries, next) {
             e->cb(e->opaque, running, state);
         }