diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/common.filter b/tests/qemu-iotests/common.filter
index f08ee55046..2031e353a5 100644
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/common.filter
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/common.filter
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ _filter_qemu()
 {
     sed -e "s#\\(^\\|(qemu) \\)$(basename $QEMU_PROG):#\1QEMU_PROG:#" \
         -e 's#^QEMU [0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+\.[0-9]\+ monitor#QEMU X.Y.Z monitor#' \
-        -e '/main-loop: WARNING: I\/O thread spun for [0-9]\+ iterations/d' \
         -e $'s#\r##' # QEMU monitor uses \r\n line endings
 }
 
diff --git a/util/main-loop.c b/util/main-loop.c
index 992f9b0f34..affe0403c5 100644
--- a/util/main-loop.c
+++ b/util/main-loop.c
@@ -222,36 +222,11 @@ static int os_host_main_loop_wait(int64_t timeout)
 {
     GMainContext *context = g_main_context_default();
     int ret;
-    static int spin_counter;
 
     g_main_context_acquire(context);
 
     glib_pollfds_fill(&timeout);
 
-    /* If the I/O thread is very busy or we are incorrectly busy waiting in
-     * the I/O thread, this can lead to starvation of the BQL such that the
-     * VCPU threads never run.  To make sure we can detect the later case,
-     * print a message to the screen.  If we run into this condition, create
-     * a fake timeout in order to give the VCPU threads a chance to run.
-     */
-    if (!timeout && (spin_counter > MAX_MAIN_LOOP_SPIN)) {
-        static bool notified;
-
-        if (!notified && !qtest_enabled() && !qtest_driver()) {
-            warn_report("I/O thread spun for %d iterations",
-                        MAX_MAIN_LOOP_SPIN);
-            notified = true;
-        }
-
-        timeout = SCALE_MS;
-    }
-
-
-    if (timeout) {
-        spin_counter = 0;
-    } else {
-        spin_counter++;
-    }
     qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
     replay_mutex_unlock();