diff --git a/hw/net/vhost_net.c b/hw/net/vhost_net.c
index 006576d..0d1943f 100644
--- a/hw/net/vhost_net.c
+++ b/hw/net/vhost_net.c
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 #include <linux/kvm.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
-#include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <linux/virtio_ring.h>
 #include <netpacket/packet.h>
 #include <net/ethernet.h>
@@ -37,6 +36,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 
 #include "hw/virtio/vhost.h"
+#include "hw/virtio/vhost-backend.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio-bus.h"
 
 struct vhost_net {
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ static int vhost_net_start_one(struct vhost_net *net,
     qemu_set_fd_handler(net->backend, NULL, NULL, NULL);
     file.fd = net->backend;
     for (file.index = 0; file.index < net->dev.nvqs; ++file.index) {
-        r = ioctl(net->dev.control, VHOST_NET_SET_BACKEND, &file);
+        r = vhost_call(&net->dev, VHOST_NET_SET_BACKEND, &file);
         if (r < 0) {
             r = -errno;
             goto fail;
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ static int vhost_net_start_one(struct vhost_net *net,
 fail:
     file.fd = -1;
     while (file.index-- > 0) {
-        int r = ioctl(net->dev.control, VHOST_NET_SET_BACKEND, &file);
+        int r = vhost_call(&net->dev, VHOST_NET_SET_BACKEND, &file);
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
     net->nc->info->poll(net->nc, true);
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ static void vhost_net_stop_one(struct vhost_net *net,
     }
 
     for (file.index = 0; file.index < net->dev.nvqs; ++file.index) {
-        int r = ioctl(net->dev.control, VHOST_NET_SET_BACKEND, &file);
+        int r = vhost_call(&net->dev, VHOST_NET_SET_BACKEND, &file);
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
     net->nc->info->poll(net->nc, true);
diff --git a/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi.c b/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi.c
index 9e770fb..14d5030 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/vhost-scsi.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "migration/migration.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/vhost-scsi.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/vhost.h"
+#include "hw/virtio/vhost-backend.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio-scsi.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio-bus.h"
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ static int vhost_scsi_set_endpoint(VHostSCSI *s)
 
     memset(&backend, 0, sizeof(backend));
     pstrcpy(backend.vhost_wwpn, sizeof(backend.vhost_wwpn), vs->conf.wwpn);
-    ret = ioctl(s->dev.control, VHOST_SCSI_SET_ENDPOINT, &backend);
+    ret = vhost_call(&s->dev, VHOST_SCSI_SET_ENDPOINT, &backend);
     if (ret < 0) {
         return -errno;
     }
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ static void vhost_scsi_clear_endpoint(VHostSCSI *s)
 
     memset(&backend, 0, sizeof(backend));
     pstrcpy(backend.vhost_wwpn, sizeof(backend.vhost_wwpn), vs->conf.wwpn);
-    ioctl(s->dev.control, VHOST_SCSI_CLEAR_ENDPOINT, &backend);
+    vhost_call(&s->dev, VHOST_SCSI_CLEAR_ENDPOINT, &backend);
 }
 
 static int vhost_scsi_start(VHostSCSI *s)
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ static int vhost_scsi_start(VHostSCSI *s)
         return -ENOSYS;
     }
 
-    ret = ioctl(s->dev.control, VHOST_SCSI_GET_ABI_VERSION, &abi_version);
+    ret = vhost_call(&s->dev, VHOST_SCSI_GET_ABI_VERSION, &abi_version);
     if (ret < 0) {
         return -errno;
     }
diff --git a/hw/virtio/Makefile.objs b/hw/virtio/Makefile.objs
index 1ba53d9..51e5bdb 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/Makefile.objs
+++ b/hw/virtio/Makefile.objs
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ common-obj-y += virtio-mmio.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_VIRTIO_BLK_DATA_PLANE) += dataplane/
 
 obj-y += virtio.o virtio-balloon.o 
-obj-$(CONFIG_LINUX) += vhost.o
+obj-$(CONFIG_LINUX) += vhost.o vhost-backend.o
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost-backend.c b/hw/virtio/vhost-backend.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..05de174
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost-backend.c
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+ * vhost-backend
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2013 Virtual Open Systems Sarl.
+ * Written by Nikolay Nikolaev <n.nikolaev@virtualopensystems.com>
+ *
+ * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU GPL, version 2.  See
+ * the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "hw/virtio/vhost.h"
+#include "hw/virtio/vhost-backend.h"
+
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/ioctl.h>
+
+static int vhost_kernel_call(struct vhost_dev *dev, unsigned long int request,
+        void *arg)
+{
+    int fd = dev->control;
+    return ioctl(fd, request, arg);
+}
+
+int vhost_call(struct vhost_dev *dev, unsigned long int request, void *arg)
+{
+    int result;
+
+    result = vhost_kernel_call(dev, request, arg);
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+int vhost_backend_init(struct vhost_dev *dev, const char *devpath)
+{
+    int fd = -1;
+
+    fd = open(devpath, O_RDWR);
+    dev->control = fd;
+
+    return fd;
+}
+
+int vhost_backend_cleanup(struct vhost_dev *dev)
+{
+    return close(dev->control);
+}
diff --git a/hw/virtio/vhost.c b/hw/virtio/vhost.c
index 9e336ad..42f4d5f 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/vhost.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/vhost.c
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
  * GNU GPL, version 2 or (at your option) any later version.
  */
 
-#include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include "hw/virtio/vhost.h"
+#include "hw/virtio/vhost-backend.h"
 #include "hw/hw.h"
 #include "qemu/atomic.h"
 #include "qemu/range.h"
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static inline void vhost_dev_log_resize(struct vhost_dev* dev, uint64_t size)
 
     log = g_malloc0(size * sizeof *log);
     log_base = (uint64_t)(unsigned long)log;
-    r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_LOG_BASE, &log_base);
+    r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_LOG_BASE, &log_base);
     assert(r >= 0);
     /* Sync only the range covered by the old log */
     if (dev->log_size) {
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ static void vhost_commit(MemoryListener *listener)
     }
 
     if (!dev->log_enabled) {
-        r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE, dev->mem);
+        r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE, dev->mem);
         assert(r >= 0);
         dev->memory_changed = false;
         return;
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ static void vhost_commit(MemoryListener *listener)
     if (dev->log_size < log_size) {
         vhost_dev_log_resize(dev, log_size + VHOST_LOG_BUFFER);
     }
-    r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE, dev->mem);
+    r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE, dev->mem);
     assert(r >= 0);
     /* To log less, can only decrease log size after table update. */
     if (dev->log_size > log_size + VHOST_LOG_BUFFER) {
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ static int vhost_virtqueue_set_addr(struct vhost_dev *dev,
         .log_guest_addr = vq->used_phys,
         .flags = enable_log ? (1 << VHOST_VRING_F_LOG) : 0,
     };
-    int r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_VRING_ADDR, &addr);
+    int r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_VRING_ADDR, &addr);
     if (r < 0) {
         return -errno;
     }
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ static int vhost_dev_set_features(struct vhost_dev *dev, bool enable_log)
     if (enable_log) {
         features |= 0x1 << VHOST_F_LOG_ALL;
     }
-    r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_FEATURES, &features);
+    r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_FEATURES, &features);
     return r < 0 ? -errno : 0;
 }
 
@@ -670,13 +670,13 @@ static int vhost_virtqueue_start(struct vhost_dev *dev,
     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);
+    r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_VRING_NUM, &state);
     if (r) {
         return -errno;
     }
 
     state.num = virtio_queue_get_last_avail_idx(vdev, idx);
-    r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_VRING_BASE, &state);
+    r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_VRING_BASE, &state);
     if (r) {
         return -errno;
     }
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ static int vhost_virtqueue_start(struct vhost_dev *dev,
     }
 
     file.fd = event_notifier_get_fd(virtio_queue_get_host_notifier(vvq));
-    r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_VRING_KICK, &file);
+    r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_VRING_KICK, &file);
     if (r) {
         r = -errno;
         goto fail_kick;
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ static void vhost_virtqueue_stop(struct vhost_dev *dev,
     };
     int r;
     assert(idx >= dev->vq_index && idx < dev->vq_index + dev->nvqs);
-    r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_GET_VRING_BASE, &state);
+    r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_GET_VRING_BASE, &state);
     if (r < 0) {
         fprintf(stderr, "vhost VQ %d ring restore failed: %d\n", idx, r);
         fflush(stderr);
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ static int vhost_virtqueue_init(struct vhost_dev *dev,
     }
 
     file.fd = event_notifier_get_fd(&vq->masked_notifier);
-    r = ioctl(dev->control, VHOST_SET_VRING_CALL, &file);
+    r = vhost_call(dev, VHOST_SET_VRING_CALL, &file);
     if (r) {
         r = -errno;
         goto fail_call;
@@ -822,17 +822,16 @@ int vhost_dev_init(struct vhost_dev *hdev, int devfd, const char *devpath,
     if (devfd >= 0) {
         hdev->control = devfd;
     } else {
-        hdev->control = open(devpath, O_RDWR);
-        if (hdev->control < 0) {
+        if (vhost_backend_init(hdev, devpath) < 0) {
             return -errno;
         }
     }
-    r = ioctl(hdev->control, VHOST_SET_OWNER, NULL);
+    r = vhost_call(hdev, VHOST_SET_OWNER, NULL);
     if (r < 0) {
         goto fail;
     }
 
-    r = ioctl(hdev->control, VHOST_GET_FEATURES, &features);
+    r = vhost_call(hdev, VHOST_GET_FEATURES, &features);
     if (r < 0) {
         goto fail;
     }
@@ -877,7 +876,7 @@ fail_vq:
     }
 fail:
     r = -errno;
-    close(hdev->control);
+    vhost_backend_cleanup(hdev);
     return r;
 }
 
@@ -890,7 +889,7 @@ void vhost_dev_cleanup(struct vhost_dev *hdev)
     memory_listener_unregister(&hdev->memory_listener);
     g_free(hdev->mem);
     g_free(hdev->mem_sections);
-    close(hdev->control);
+    vhost_backend_cleanup(hdev);
 }
 
 bool vhost_dev_query(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
@@ -992,7 +991,7 @@ void vhost_virtqueue_mask(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev, int n,
     } else {
         file.fd = event_notifier_get_fd(virtio_queue_get_guest_notifier(vvq));
     }
-    r = ioctl(hdev->control, VHOST_SET_VRING_CALL, &file);
+    r = vhost_call(hdev, VHOST_SET_VRING_CALL, &file);
     assert(r >= 0);
 }
 
@@ -1007,7 +1006,7 @@ int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
     if (r < 0) {
         goto fail_features;
     }
-    r = ioctl(hdev->control, VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE, hdev->mem);
+    r = vhost_call(hdev, VHOST_SET_MEM_TABLE, hdev->mem);
     if (r < 0) {
         r = -errno;
         goto fail_mem;
@@ -1026,8 +1025,7 @@ int vhost_dev_start(struct vhost_dev *hdev, VirtIODevice *vdev)
         hdev->log_size = vhost_get_log_size(hdev);
         hdev->log = hdev->log_size ?
             g_malloc0(hdev->log_size * sizeof *hdev->log) : NULL;
-        r = ioctl(hdev->control, VHOST_SET_LOG_BASE,
-                  (uint64_t)(unsigned long)hdev->log);
+        r = vhost_call(hdev, VHOST_SET_LOG_BASE, hdev->log);
         if (r < 0) {
             r = -errno;
             goto fail_log;
diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/vhost-backend.h b/include/hw/virtio/vhost-backend.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc51b72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/vhost-backend.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/*
+ * vhost-backend
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2013 Virtual Open Systems Sarl.
+ * Written by Nikolay Nikolaev <n.nikolaev@virtualopensystems.com>
+ *
+ * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU GPL, version 2.  See
+ * the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef VHOST_BACKEND_H_
+#define VHOST_BACKEND_H_
+
+struct vhost_dev;
+int vhost_call(struct vhost_dev *dev, unsigned long int request, void *arg);
+
+int vhost_backend_init(struct vhost_dev *dev, const char *devpath);
+int vhost_backend_cleanup(struct vhost_dev *dev);
+
+#endif /* VHOST_BACKEND_H_ */
