diff --git a/sysemu.h b/sysemu.h
index 026360c563..78d70c548f 100644
--- a/sysemu.h
+++ b/sysemu.h
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ typedef struct DriveInfo {
     int bus;
     int unit;
     int used;
+    int drive_opt_idx;
     BlockInterfaceErrorAction onerror;
     char serial[21];
 } DriveInfo;
@@ -148,6 +149,8 @@ extern DriveInfo drives_table[MAX_DRIVES+1];
 
 extern int drive_get_index(BlockInterfaceType type, int bus, int unit);
 extern int drive_get_max_bus(BlockInterfaceType type);
+extern void drive_uninit(BlockDriverState *bdrv);
+extern void drive_remove(int index);
 extern const char *drive_get_serial(BlockDriverState *bdrv);
 extern BlockInterfaceErrorAction drive_get_onerror(BlockDriverState *bdrv);
 
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index fb61903ea9..219815114d 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2182,6 +2182,12 @@ static int drive_add(const char *file, const char *fmt, ...)
     return index;
 }
 
+void drive_remove(int index)
+{
+    drives_opt[index].used = 0;
+    nb_drives_opt--;
+}
+
 int drive_get_index(BlockInterfaceType type, int bus, int unit)
 {
     int index;
@@ -2239,6 +2245,20 @@ static void bdrv_format_print(void *opaque, const char *name)
     fprintf(stderr, " %s", name);
 }
 
+void drive_uninit(BlockDriverState *bdrv)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < MAX_DRIVES; i++)
+        if (drives_table[i].bdrv == bdrv) {
+            drives_table[i].bdrv = NULL;
+            drives_table[i].used = 0;
+            drive_remove(drives_table[i].drive_opt_idx);
+            nb_drives--;
+            break;
+        }
+}
+
 static int drive_init(struct drive_opt *arg, int snapshot,
                       QEMUMachine *machine)
 {
@@ -2538,6 +2558,7 @@ static int drive_init(struct drive_opt *arg, int snapshot,
     drives_table[drives_table_idx].bus = bus_id;
     drives_table[drives_table_idx].unit = unit_id;
     drives_table[drives_table_idx].onerror = onerror;
+    drives_table[drives_table_idx].drive_opt_idx = arg - drives_opt;
     strncpy(drives_table[nb_drives].serial, serial, sizeof(serial));
     nb_drives++;