diff --git a/drivers/net/xen-netback/common.h b/drivers/net/xen-netback/common.h
index 4a92fc1..ef3026f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/xen-netback/common.h
+++ b/drivers/net/xen-netback/common.h
@@ -176,9 +176,9 @@ struct xenvif_queue { /* Per-queue data for xenvif */
 	struct xen_netif_rx_back_ring rx;
 	struct sk_buff_head rx_queue;
 	RING_IDX rx_last_skb_slots;
-	bool rx_queue_purge;
+	unsigned long status;
 
-	struct timer_list wake_queue;
+	struct timer_list rx_stalled;
 
 	struct gnttab_copy grant_copy_op[MAX_GRANT_COPY_OPS];
 
@@ -200,7 +200,16 @@ struct xenvif_queue { /* Per-queue data for xenvif */
 
 enum state_bit_shift {
 	/* This bit marks that the vif is connected */
-	VIF_STATUS_CONNECTED
+	VIF_STATUS_CONNECTED,
+	/* This bit signals the RX thread that queuing was stopped (in
+	 * start_xmit), and either the timer fired or an RX interrupt came
+	 */
+	QUEUE_STATUS_RX_PURGE_EVENT,
+	/* This bit tells the interrupt handler that this queue was the reason
+	 * for the carrier off, so it should kick the thread. Only queues which
+	 * brought it down can turn on the carrier.
+	 */
+	QUEUE_STATUS_RX_STALLED
 };
 
 struct xenvif {
diff --git a/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c b/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
index fbdadb3..48a55cd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
+++ b/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
@@ -78,8 +78,12 @@ int xenvif_poll(struct napi_struct *napi, int budget)
 	/* This vif is rogue, we pretend we've there is nothing to do
 	 * for this vif to deschedule it from NAPI. But this interface
 	 * will be turned off in thread context later.
+	 * Also, if a guest doesn't post enough slots to receive data on one of
+	 * its queues, the carrier goes down and NAPI is descheduled here so
+	 * the guest can't send more packets until it's ready to receive.
 	 */
-	if (unlikely(queue->vif->disabled)) {
+	if (unlikely(queue->vif->disabled ||
+		     !netif_carrier_ok(queue->vif->dev))) {
 		napi_complete(napi);
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -97,7 +101,16 @@ int xenvif_poll(struct napi_struct *napi, int budget)
 static irqreturn_t xenvif_rx_interrupt(int irq, void *dev_id)
 {
 	struct xenvif_queue *queue = dev_id;
+	struct netdev_queue *net_queue =
+		netdev_get_tx_queue(queue->vif->dev, queue->id);
 
+	/* QUEUE_STATUS_RX_PURGE_EVENT is only set if either QDisc was off OR
+	 * the carrier went down and this queue was previously blocked
+	 */
+	if (unlikely(netif_tx_queue_stopped(net_queue) ||
+		     (!netif_carrier_ok(queue->vif->dev) &&
+		      test_bit(QUEUE_STATUS_RX_STALLED, &queue->status))))
+		set_bit(QUEUE_STATUS_RX_PURGE_EVENT, &queue->status);
 	xenvif_kick_thread(queue);
 
 	return IRQ_HANDLED;
@@ -125,16 +138,14 @@ void xenvif_wake_queue(struct xenvif_queue *queue)
 	netif_tx_wake_queue(netdev_get_tx_queue(dev, id));
 }
 
-/* Callback to wake the queue and drain it on timeout */
-static void xenvif_wake_queue_callback(unsigned long data)
+/* Callback to wake the queue's thread and turn the carrier off on timeout */
+static void xenvif_rx_stalled(unsigned long data)
 {
 	struct xenvif_queue *queue = (struct xenvif_queue *)data;
 
 	if (xenvif_queue_stopped(queue)) {
-		netdev_err(queue->vif->dev, "draining TX queue\n");
-		queue->rx_queue_purge = true;
+		set_bit(QUEUE_STATUS_RX_PURGE_EVENT, &queue->status);
 		xenvif_kick_thread(queue);
-		xenvif_wake_queue(queue);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -183,11 +194,11 @@ static int xenvif_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	 * drain.
 	 */
 	if (!xenvif_rx_ring_slots_available(queue, min_slots_needed)) {
-		queue->wake_queue.function = xenvif_wake_queue_callback;
-		queue->wake_queue.data = (unsigned long)queue;
+		queue->rx_stalled.function = xenvif_rx_stalled;
+		queue->rx_stalled.data = (unsigned long)queue;
 		xenvif_stop_queue(queue);
-		mod_timer(&queue->wake_queue,
-			jiffies + rx_drain_timeout_jiffies);
+		mod_timer(&queue->rx_stalled,
+			  jiffies + rx_drain_timeout_jiffies);
 	}
 
 	skb_queue_tail(&queue->rx_queue, skb);
@@ -515,7 +526,7 @@ int xenvif_init_queue(struct xenvif_queue *queue)
 		queue->grant_tx_handle[i] = NETBACK_INVALID_HANDLE;
 	}
 
-	init_timer(&queue->wake_queue);
+	init_timer(&queue->rx_stalled);
 
 	netif_napi_add(queue->vif->dev, &queue->napi, xenvif_poll,
 			XENVIF_NAPI_WEIGHT);
@@ -666,7 +677,7 @@ void xenvif_disconnect(struct xenvif *vif)
 		queue = &vif->queues[queue_index];
 
 		if (queue->task) {
-			del_timer_sync(&queue->wake_queue);
+			del_timer_sync(&queue->rx_stalled);
 			kthread_stop(queue->task);
 			queue->task = NULL;
 		}
@@ -708,16 +719,12 @@ void xenvif_free(struct xenvif *vif)
 	/* Here we want to avoid timeout messages if an skb can be legitimately
 	 * stuck somewhere else. Realistically this could be an another vif's
 	 * internal or QDisc queue. That another vif also has this
-	 * rx_drain_timeout_msecs timeout, but the timer only ditches the
-	 * internal queue. After that, the QDisc queue can put in worst case
-	 * XEN_NETIF_RX_RING_SIZE / MAX_SKB_FRAGS skbs into that another vif's
-	 * internal queue, so we need several rounds of such timeouts until we
-	 * can be sure that no another vif should have skb's from us. We are
-	 * not sending more skb's, so newly stuck packets are not interesting
-	 * for us here.
+	 * rx_drain_timeout_msecs timeout, so give it time to drain out.
+	 * Although if that other guest wakes up just before its timeout happens
+	 * and takes only one skb from QDisc, it can hold onto other skbs for a
+	 * longer period.
 	 */
-	unsigned int worst_case_skb_lifetime = (rx_drain_timeout_msecs/1000) *
-		DIV_ROUND_UP(XENVIF_QUEUE_LENGTH, (XEN_NETIF_RX_RING_SIZE / MAX_SKB_FRAGS));
+	unsigned int worst_case_skb_lifetime = (rx_drain_timeout_msecs/1000);
 
 	unregister_netdev(vif->dev);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/xen-netback/netback.c b/drivers/net/xen-netback/netback.c
index 6c4cc0f..aa20933 100644
--- a/drivers/net/xen-netback/netback.c
+++ b/drivers/net/xen-netback/netback.c
@@ -1869,8 +1869,7 @@ void xenvif_idx_unmap(struct xenvif_queue *queue, u16 pending_idx)
 static inline int rx_work_todo(struct xenvif_queue *queue)
 {
 	return (!skb_queue_empty(&queue->rx_queue) &&
-	       xenvif_rx_ring_slots_available(queue, queue->rx_last_skb_slots)) ||
-	       queue->rx_queue_purge;
+	       xenvif_rx_ring_slots_available(queue, queue->rx_last_skb_slots));
 }
 
 static inline int tx_work_todo(struct xenvif_queue *queue)
@@ -1935,6 +1934,75 @@ static void xenvif_start_queue(struct xenvif_queue *queue)
 		xenvif_wake_queue(queue);
 }
 
+/* Only called from the queue's thread, it handles the situation when the guest
+ * doesn't post enough requests on the receiving ring.
+ * First xenvif_start_xmit disables QDisc and start a timer, and then either the
+ * timer fires, or the guest send an interrupt after posting new request. If it
+ * is the timer, the carrier is turned off here.
+ * */
+static void xenvif_rx_purge_event(struct xenvif_queue *queue)
+{
+	/* Either the last unsuccesful skb or at least 1 slot should fit */
+	int needed = queue->rx_last_skb_slots ?
+		     queue->rx_last_skb_slots : 1;
+
+	/* It is assumed that if the guest post new slots after this, the RX
+	 * interrupt will set the QUEUE_STATUS_RX_PURGE_EVENT bit and wake up
+	 * the thread again
+	 */
+	set_bit(QUEUE_STATUS_RX_STALLED, &queue->status);
+	if (!xenvif_rx_ring_slots_available(queue, needed)) {
+		rtnl_lock();
+		if (netif_carrier_ok(queue->vif->dev)) {
+			/* Timer fired and there are still no slots. Turn off
+			 * everything except the interrupts
+			 */
+			netif_carrier_off(queue->vif->dev);
+			skb_queue_purge(&queue->rx_queue);
+			queue->rx_last_skb_slots = 0;
+			if (net_ratelimit())
+				netdev_err(queue->vif->dev, "Carrier off due to lack of guest response on queue %d\n", queue->id);
+		} else {
+			/* Probably an another queue already turned the carrier
+			 * off, make sure nothing is stucked in the internal
+			 * queue of this queue
+			 */
+			skb_queue_purge(&queue->rx_queue);
+			queue->rx_last_skb_slots = 0;
+		}
+		rtnl_unlock();
+	} else if (!netif_carrier_ok(queue->vif->dev)) {
+		unsigned int num_queues = queue->vif->num_queues;
+		unsigned int i;
+		/* The carrier was down, but an interrupt kicked
+		 * the thread again after new requests were
+		 * posted
+		 */
+		clear_bit(QUEUE_STATUS_RX_STALLED,
+			  &queue->status);
+		rtnl_lock();
+		netif_carrier_on(queue->vif->dev);
+		netif_tx_wake_all_queues(queue->vif->dev);
+		rtnl_unlock();
+
+		for (i = 0; i < num_queues; i++) {
+			struct xenvif_queue *temp = &queue->vif->queues[i];
+
+			xenvif_napi_schedule_or_enable_events(temp);
+		}
+		if (net_ratelimit())
+			netdev_err(queue->vif->dev, "Carrier on again\n");
+	} else {
+		/* Queuing were stopped, but the guest posted
+		 * new requests and sent an interrupt
+		 */
+		clear_bit(QUEUE_STATUS_RX_STALLED,
+			  &queue->status);
+		del_timer_sync(&queue->rx_stalled);
+		xenvif_start_queue(queue);
+	}
+}
+
 int xenvif_kthread_guest_rx(void *data)
 {
 	struct xenvif_queue *queue = data;
@@ -1944,8 +2012,12 @@ int xenvif_kthread_guest_rx(void *data)
 		wait_event_interruptible(queue->wq,
 					 rx_work_todo(queue) ||
 					 queue->vif->disabled ||
+					 test_bit(QUEUE_STATUS_RX_PURGE_EVENT, &queue->status) ||
 					 kthread_should_stop());
 
+		if (kthread_should_stop())
+			break;
+
 		/* This frontend is found to be rogue, disable it in
 		 * kthread context. Currently this is only set when
 		 * netback finds out frontend sends malformed packet,
@@ -1955,24 +2027,21 @@ int xenvif_kthread_guest_rx(void *data)
 		 */
 		if (unlikely(queue->vif->disabled && queue->id == 0))
 			xenvif_carrier_off(queue->vif);
-
-		if (kthread_should_stop())
-			break;
-
-		if (queue->rx_queue_purge) {
+		else if (unlikely(test_and_clear_bit(QUEUE_STATUS_RX_PURGE_EVENT,
+						     &queue->status))) {
+			xenvif_rx_purge_event(queue);
+		} else if (!netif_carrier_ok(queue->vif->dev)) {
+			/* Another queue stalled and turned the carrier off, so
+			 * purge the internal queue of queues which were not
+			 * blocked
+			 */
 			skb_queue_purge(&queue->rx_queue);
-			queue->rx_queue_purge = false;
+			queue->rx_last_skb_slots = 0;
 		}
 
 		if (!skb_queue_empty(&queue->rx_queue))
 			xenvif_rx_action(queue);
 
-		if (skb_queue_empty(&queue->rx_queue) &&
-		    xenvif_queue_stopped(queue)) {
-			del_timer_sync(&queue->wake_queue);
-			xenvif_start_queue(queue);
-		}
-
 		cond_resched();
 	}
 
