diff --git a/hw/vhost.c b/hw/vhost.c
index cee8aad..38257b9 100644
--- a/hw/vhost.c
+++ b/hw/vhost.c
@@ -619,14 +619,17 @@ static int vhost_virtqueue_start(struct vhost_dev *dev,
 {
     hwaddr s, l, a;
     int r;
+    int vhost_vq_index = idx - dev->vq_index;
     struct vhost_vring_file file = {
-        .index = idx,
+        .index = vhost_vq_index
     };
     struct vhost_vring_state state = {
-        .index = idx,
+        .index = vhost_vq_index
     };
     struct VirtQueue *vvq = virtio_get_queue(vdev, idx);
 
+    assert(idx >= dev->vq_index && idx < dev->vq_index + dev->nvqs);
+
     vq->num = state.num = virtio_queue_get_num(vdev, idx);
     r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_VRING_NUM, &state);
     if (r) {
@@ -669,11 +672,12 @@ static int vhost_virtqueue_start(struct vhost_dev *dev,
         goto fail_alloc_ring;
     }
 
-    r = vhost_virtqueue_set_addr(dev, vq, idx, dev->log_enabled);
+    r = vhost_virtqueue_set_addr(dev, vq, vhost_vq_index, dev->log_enabled);
     if (r < 0) {
         r = -errno;
         goto fail_alloc;
     }
+
     file.fd = event_notifier_get_fd(virtio_queue_get_host_notifier(vvq));
     r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_VRING_KICK, &file);
     if (r) {
@@ -709,9 +713,10 @@ static void vhost_virtqueue_stop(struct vhost_dev *dev,
                                     unsigned idx)
 {
     struct vhost_vring_state state = {
-        .index = idx,
+        .index = idx - dev->vq_index
     };
     int r;
+    assert(idx >= dev->vq_index && idx < dev->vq_index + dev->nvqs);
     r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_GET_VRING_BASE, &state);
     if (r < 0) {
         fprintf(stderr, "vhost VQ %d ring restore failed: %d\n", idx, r);
@@ -867,7 +872,9 @@ int vhost_dev_enable_notifiers(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
     }
 
     for (i = 0; i < hdev->nvqs; ++i) {
-        r = vdev->binding->set_host_notifier(vdev->binding_opaque, i, true);
+        r = vdev->binding->set_host_notifier(vdev->binding_opaque,
+                                             hdev->vq_index + i,
+                                             true);
         if (r < 0) {
             fprintf(stderr, "vhost VQ %d notifier binding failed: %d\n", i, -r);
             goto fail_vq;
@@ -877,7 +884,9 @@ int vhost_dev_enable_notifiers(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
     return 0;
 fail_vq:
     while (--i >= 0) {
-        r = vdev->binding->set_host_notifier(vdev->binding_opaque, i, false);
+        r = vdev->binding->set_host_notifier(vdev->binding_opaque,
+                                             hdev->vq_index + i,
+                                             false);
         if (r < 0) {
             fprintf(stderr, "vhost VQ %d notifier cleanup error: %d\n", i, -r);
             fflush(stderr);
@@ -898,7 +907,9 @@ void vhost_dev_disable_notifiers(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
     int i, r;
 
     for (i = 0; i < hdev->nvqs; ++i) {
-        r = vdev->binding->set_host_notifier(vdev->binding_opaque, i, false);
+        r = vdev->binding->set_host_notifier(vdev->binding_opaque,
+                                             hdev->vq_index + i,
+                                             false);
         if (r < 0) {
             fprintf(stderr, "vhost VQ %d notifier cleanup failed: %d\n", i, -r);
             fflush(stderr);
@@ -912,8 +923,9 @@ void vhost_dev_disable_notifiers(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
  */
 bool vhost_virtqueue_pending(struct vhost_dev *hdev, int n)
 {
-    struct vhost_virtqueue *vq = hdev->vqs + n;
+    struct vhost_virtqueue *vq = hdev->vqs + n - hdev->vq_index;
     assert(hdev->started);
+    assert(n >= hdev->vq_index && n < hdev->vq_index + hdev->nvqs);
     return event_notifier_test_and_clear(&vq->masked_notifier);
 }
 
@@ -922,15 +934,16 @@ void vhost_virtqueue_mask(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev, int n,
                          bool mask)
 {
     struct VirtQueue *vvq = virtio_get_queue(vdev, n);
-    int r;
+    int r, index = n - hdev->vq_index;
 
     assert(hdev->started);
+    assert(n >= hdev->vq_index && n < hdev->vq_index + hdev->nvqs);
 
     struct vhost_vring_file file = {
-        .index = n,
+        .index = index
     };
     if (mask) {
-        file.fd = event_notifier_get_fd(&hdev->vqs[n].masked_notifier);
+        file.fd = event_notifier_get_fd(&hdev->vqs[index].masked_notifier);
     } else {
         file.fd = event_notifier_get_fd(virtio_queue_get_guest_notifier(vvq));
     }
@@ -945,20 +958,6 @@ int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
 
     hdev->started = true;
 
-    if (!vdev->binding->set_guest_notifiers) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "binding does not support guest notifiers\n");
-        r = -ENOSYS;
-        goto fail;
-    }
-
-    r = vdev->binding->set_guest_notifiers(vdev->binding_opaque,
-                                           hdev->nvqs,
-                                           true);
-    if (r < 0) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Error binding guest notifier: %d\n", -r);
-        goto fail_notifiers;
-    }
-
     r = vhost_dev_set_features(hdev, hdev->log_enabled);
     if (r < 0) {
         goto fail_features;
@@ -970,9 +969,9 @@ int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
     }
     for (i = 0; i < hdev->nvqs; ++i) {
         r = vhost_virtqueue_start(hdev,
-                                 vdev,
-                                 hdev->vqs + i,
-                                 i);
+                                  vdev,
+                                  hdev->vqs + i,
+                                  hdev->vq_index + i);
         if (r < 0) {
             goto fail_vq;
         }
@@ -995,15 +994,13 @@ fail_log:
 fail_vq:
     while (--i >= 0) {
         vhost_virtqueue_stop(hdev,
-                                vdev,
-                                hdev->vqs + i,
-                                i);
+                             vdev,
+                             hdev->vqs + i,
+                             hdev->vq_index + i);
     }
+    i = hdev->nvqs;
 fail_mem:
 fail_features:
-    vdev->binding->set_guest_notifiers(vdev->binding_opaque, hdev->nvqs, false);
-fail_notifiers:
-fail:
 
     hdev->started = false;
     return r;
@@ -1012,29 +1009,22 @@ fail:
 /* Host notifiers must be enabled at this point. */
 void vhost_dev_stop(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
 {
-    int i, r;
+    int i;
 
     for (i = 0; i < hdev->nvqs; ++i) {
         vhost_virtqueue_stop(hdev,
-                                vdev,
-                                hdev->vqs + i,
-                                i);
+                             vdev,
+                             hdev->vqs + i,
+                             hdev->vq_index + i);
     }
     for (i = 0; i < hdev->n_mem_sections; ++i) {
         vhost_sync_dirty_bitmap(hdev, &hdev->mem_sections[i],
                                 0, (hwaddr)~0x0ull);
     }
-    r = vdev->binding->set_guest_notifiers(vdev->binding_opaque,
-                                           hdev->nvqs,
-                                           false);
-    if (r < 0) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "vhost guest notifier cleanup failed: %d\n", r);
-        fflush(stderr);
-    }
-    assert (r >= 0);
 
     hdev->started = false;
     g_free(hdev->log);
     hdev->log = NULL;
     hdev->log_size = 0;
 }
+
diff --git a/hw/vhost.h b/hw/vhost.h
index 44c61a5..f062d48 100644
--- a/hw/vhost.h
+++ b/hw/vhost.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ struct vhost_dev {
     MemoryRegionSection *mem_sections;
     struct vhost_virtqueue *vqs;
     int nvqs;
+    /* the first virtuque which would be used by this vhost dev */
+    int vq_index;
     unsigned long long features;
     unsigned long long acked_features;
     unsigned long long backend_features;
diff --git a/hw/vhost_net.c b/hw/vhost_net.c
index d3a04ca..8693ac2 100644
--- a/hw/vhost_net.c
+++ b/hw/vhost_net.c
@@ -140,12 +140,21 @@ bool vhost_net_query(VHostNetState *net, VirtIODevice *dev)
     return vhost_dev_query(&net->dev, dev);
 }
 
-int vhost_net_start(struct vhost_net *net,
-                    VirtIODevice *dev)
+static int vhost_net_start_one(struct vhost_net *net,
+                               VirtIODevice *dev,
+                               int vq_index)
 {
     struct vhost_vring_file file = { };
     int r;
 
+    if (net->dev.started) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    net->dev.nvqs = 2;
+    net->dev.vqs = net->vqs;
+    net->dev.vq_index = vq_index;
+
     r = vhost_dev_enable_notifiers(&net->dev, dev);
     if (r < 0) {
         goto fail_notifiers;
@@ -181,11 +190,15 @@ fail_notifiers:
     return r;
 }
 
-void vhost_net_stop(struct vhost_net *net,
-                    VirtIODevice *dev)
+static void vhost_net_stop_one(struct vhost_net *net,
+                               VirtIODevice *dev)
 {
     struct vhost_vring_file file = { .fd = -1 };
 
+    if (!net->dev.started) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     for (file.index = 0; file.index < net->dev.nvqs; ++file.index) {
         int r = ioctl(net->dev.control, VHOST_NET_SET_BACKEND, &file);
         assert(r >= 0);
@@ -195,6 +208,61 @@ void vhost_net_stop(struct vhost_net *net,
     vhost_dev_disable_notifiers(&net->dev, dev);
 }
 
+int vhost_net_start(VirtIODevice *dev, NetClientState *ncs,
+                    int total_queues)
+{
+    int r, i = 0;
+
+    if (!dev->binding->set_guest_notifiers) {
+        error_report("binding does not support guest notifiers\n");
+        r = -ENOSYS;
+        goto err;
+    }
+
+    for (i = 0; i < total_queues; i++) {
+        r = vhost_net_start_one(tap_get_vhost_net(ncs[i].peer), dev, i * 2);
+
+        if (r < 0) {
+            goto err;
+        }
+    }
+
+    r = dev->binding->set_guest_notifiers(dev->binding_opaque,
+                                          total_queues * 2,
+                                          true);
+    if (r < 0) {
+        error_report("Error binding guest notifier: %d\n", -r);
+        goto err;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+
+err:
+    while (--i >= 0) {
+        vhost_net_stop_one(tap_get_vhost_net(ncs[i].peer), dev);
+    }
+    return r;
+}
+
+void vhost_net_stop(VirtIODevice *dev, NetClientState *ncs,
+                    int total_queues)
+{
+    int i, r;
+
+    r = dev->binding->set_guest_notifiers(dev->binding_opaque,
+                                          total_queues * 2,
+                                          false);
+    if (r < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "vhost guest notifier cleanup failed: %d\n", r);
+        fflush(stderr);
+    }
+    assert(r >= 0);
+
+    for (i = 0; i < total_queues; i++) {
+        vhost_net_stop_one(tap_get_vhost_net(ncs[i].peer), dev);
+    }
+}
+
 void vhost_net_cleanup(struct vhost_net *net)
 {
     vhost_dev_cleanup(&net->dev);
@@ -224,13 +292,15 @@ bool vhost_net_query(VHostNetState *net, VirtIODevice *dev)
     return false;
 }
 
-int vhost_net_start(struct vhost_net *net,
-		    VirtIODevice *dev)
+int vhost_net_start(VirtIODevice *dev,
+                    NetClientState *ncs,
+                    int total_queues)
 {
     return -ENOSYS;
 }
-void vhost_net_stop(struct vhost_net *net,
-		    VirtIODevice *dev)
+void vhost_net_stop(VirtIODevice *dev,
+                    NetClientState *ncs,
+                    int total_queues)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/vhost_net.h b/hw/vhost_net.h
index 88912b8..2d936bb 100644
--- a/hw/vhost_net.h
+++ b/hw/vhost_net.h
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ typedef struct vhost_net VHostNetState;
 VHostNetState *vhost_net_init(NetClientState *backend, int devfd, bool force);
 
 bool vhost_net_query(VHostNetState *net, VirtIODevice *dev);
-int vhost_net_start(VHostNetState *net, VirtIODevice *dev);
-void vhost_net_stop(VHostNetState *net, VirtIODevice *dev);
+int vhost_net_start(VirtIODevice *dev, NetClientState *ncs, int total_queues);
+void vhost_net_stop(VirtIODevice *dev, NetClientState *ncs, int total_queues);
 
 void vhost_net_cleanup(VHostNetState *net);
 
diff --git a/hw/virtio-net.c b/hw/virtio-net.c
index 47f4ab4..2dfcc4d 100644
--- a/hw/virtio-net.c
+++ b/hw/virtio-net.c
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@ static void virtio_net_vhost_status(VirtIONet *n, uint8_t status)
             return;
         }
         n->vhost_started = 1;
-        r = vhost_net_start(tap_get_vhost_net(nc->peer), &n->vdev);
+        r = vhost_net_start(&n->vdev, nc, 1);
         if (r < 0) {
             error_report("unable to start vhost net: %d: "
                          "falling back on userspace virtio", -r);
             n->vhost_started = 0;
         }
     } else {
-        vhost_net_stop(tap_get_vhost_net(nc->peer), &n->vdev);
+        vhost_net_stop(&n->vdev, nc, 1);
         n->vhost_started = 0;
     }
 }
