diff --git a/hw/net/vhost_net-stub.c b/hw/net/vhost_net-stub.c
index 2d745e359c..9f7daae99c 100644
--- a/hw/net/vhost_net-stub.c
+++ b/hw/net/vhost_net-stub.c
@@ -107,3 +107,9 @@ void vhost_net_virtqueue_reset(VirtIODevice *vdev, NetClientState *nc,
 {
 
 }
+
+int vhost_net_virtqueue_restart(VirtIODevice *vdev, NetClientState *nc,
+                                int vq_index)
+{
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/hw/net/vhost_net.c b/hw/net/vhost_net.c
index 8beecb4d22..d2926e2ed6 100644
--- a/hw/net/vhost_net.c
+++ b/hw/net/vhost_net.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "standard-headers/linux/virtio_ring.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/vhost.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio-bus.h"
+#include "linux-headers/linux/vhost.h"
 
 
 /* Features supported by host kernel. */
@@ -556,3 +557,55 @@ void vhost_net_virtqueue_reset(VirtIODevice *vdev, NetClientState *nc,
                          net->dev.vqs + idx,
                          net->dev.vq_index + idx);
 }
+
+int vhost_net_virtqueue_restart(VirtIODevice *vdev, NetClientState *nc,
+                                int vq_index)
+{
+    VHostNetState *net = get_vhost_net(nc->peer);
+    const VhostOps *vhost_ops = net->dev.vhost_ops;
+    struct vhost_vring_file file = { };
+    int idx, r;
+
+    if (!net->dev.started) {
+        return -EBUSY;
+    }
+
+    /* should only be called after backend is connected */
+    assert(vhost_ops);
+
+    idx = vhost_ops->vhost_get_vq_index(&net->dev, vq_index);
+
+    r = vhost_virtqueue_start(&net->dev,
+                              vdev,
+                              net->dev.vqs + idx,
+                              net->dev.vq_index + idx);
+    if (r < 0) {
+        goto err_start;
+    }
+
+    if (net->nc->info->type == NET_CLIENT_DRIVER_TAP) {
+        file.index = idx;
+        file.fd = net->backend;
+        r = vhost_net_set_backend(&net->dev, &file);
+        if (r < 0) {
+            r = -errno;
+            goto err_start;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+
+err_start:
+    error_report("Error when restarting the queue.");
+
+    if (net->nc->info->type == NET_CLIENT_DRIVER_TAP) {
+        file.fd = VHOST_FILE_UNBIND;
+        file.index = idx;
+        int r = vhost_net_set_backend(&net->dev, &file);
+        assert(r >= 0);
+    }
+
+    vhost_dev_stop(&net->dev, vdev);
+
+    return r;
+}
diff --git a/include/net/vhost_net.h b/include/net/vhost_net.h
index 85d85a4957..40b9a40074 100644
--- a/include/net/vhost_net.h
+++ b/include/net/vhost_net.h
@@ -50,4 +50,6 @@ int vhost_net_set_mtu(struct vhost_net *net, uint16_t mtu);
 
 void vhost_net_virtqueue_reset(VirtIODevice *vdev, NetClientState *nc,
                                int vq_index);
+int vhost_net_virtqueue_restart(VirtIODevice *vdev, NetClientState *nc,
+                                int vq_index);
 #endif