diff --git a/hw/xen_backend.c b/hw/xen_backend.c
index aa642675f8..d876cabb12 100644
--- a/hw/xen_backend.c
+++ b/hw/xen_backend.c
@@ -421,13 +421,13 @@ static int xen_be_try_init(struct XenDevice *xendev)
 }
 
 /*
- * Try to connect xendev.  Depends on the frontend being ready
+ * Try to initialise xendev.  Depends on the frontend being ready
  * for it (shared ring and evtchn info in xenstore, state being
  * Initialised or Connected).
  *
  * Goes to Connected on success.
  */
-static int xen_be_try_connect(struct XenDevice *xendev)
+static int xen_be_try_initialise(struct XenDevice *xendev)
 {
     int rc = 0;
 
@@ -441,11 +441,11 @@ static int xen_be_try_connect(struct XenDevice *xendev)
         }
     }
 
-    if (xendev->ops->connect) {
-        rc = xendev->ops->connect(xendev);
+    if (xendev->ops->initialise) {
+        rc = xendev->ops->initialise(xendev);
     }
     if (rc != 0) {
-        xen_be_printf(xendev, 0, "connect() failed\n");
+        xen_be_printf(xendev, 0, "initialise() failed\n");
         return rc;
     }
 
@@ -453,6 +453,29 @@ static int xen_be_try_connect(struct XenDevice *xendev)
     return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Try to let xendev know that it is connected.  Depends on the
+ * frontend being Connected.  Note that this may be called more
+ * than once since the backend state is not modified.
+ */
+static void xen_be_try_connected(struct XenDevice *xendev)
+{
+    if (!xendev->ops->connected) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (xendev->fe_state != XenbusStateConnected) {
+        if (xendev->ops->flags & DEVOPS_FLAG_IGNORE_STATE) {
+            xen_be_printf(xendev, 2, "frontend not ready, ignoring\n");
+        } else {
+            xen_be_printf(xendev, 2, "frontend not ready (yet)\n");
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+
+    xendev->ops->connected(xendev);
+}
+
 /*
  * Teardown connection.
  *
@@ -508,7 +531,12 @@ void xen_be_check_state(struct XenDevice *xendev)
             rc = xen_be_try_init(xendev);
             break;
         case XenbusStateInitWait:
-            rc = xen_be_try_connect(xendev);
+            rc = xen_be_try_initialise(xendev);
+            break;
+        case XenbusStateConnected:
+            /* xendev->be_state doesn't change */
+            xen_be_try_connected(xendev);
+            rc = -1;
             break;
         case XenbusStateClosed:
             rc = xen_be_try_reset(xendev);
diff --git a/hw/xen_backend.h b/hw/xen_backend.h
index 6401c85a7e..3305630903 100644
--- a/hw/xen_backend.h
+++ b/hw/xen_backend.h
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ struct XenDevOps {
     uint32_t  flags;
     void      (*alloc)(struct XenDevice *xendev);
     int       (*init)(struct XenDevice *xendev);
-    int       (*connect)(struct XenDevice *xendev);
+    int       (*initialise)(struct XenDevice *xendev);
+    void      (*connected)(struct XenDevice *xendev);
     void      (*event)(struct XenDevice *xendev);
     void      (*disconnect)(struct XenDevice *xendev);
     int       (*free)(struct XenDevice *xendev);
diff --git a/hw/xen_console.c b/hw/xen_console.c
index 5789bd09a5..edcb31ce66 100644
--- a/hw/xen_console.c
+++ b/hw/xen_console.c
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ out:
     return ret;
 }
 
-static int con_connect(struct XenDevice *xendev)
+static int con_initialise(struct XenDevice *xendev)
 {
     struct XenConsole *con = container_of(xendev, struct XenConsole, xendev);
     int limit;
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ struct XenDevOps xen_console_ops = {
     .size       = sizeof(struct XenConsole),
     .flags      = DEVOPS_FLAG_IGNORE_STATE,
     .init       = con_init,
-    .connect    = con_connect,
+    .initialise = con_initialise,
     .event      = con_event,
     .disconnect = con_disconnect,
 };
diff --git a/hw/xen_disk.c b/hw/xen_disk.c
index da531a67dd..8a9fac499b 100644
--- a/hw/xen_disk.c
+++ b/hw/xen_disk.c
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ struct XenDevOps xen_blkdev_ops = {
     .flags      = DEVOPS_FLAG_NEED_GNTDEV,
     .alloc      = blk_alloc,
     .init       = blk_init,
-    .connect    = blk_connect,
+    .initialise    = blk_connect,
     .disconnect = blk_disconnect,
     .event      = blk_event,
     .free       = blk_free,
diff --git a/hw/xen_nic.c b/hw/xen_nic.c
index b28b15670b..aeca8da96b 100644
--- a/hw/xen_nic.c
+++ b/hw/xen_nic.c
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ struct XenDevOps xen_netdev_ops = {
     .size       = sizeof(struct XenNetDev),
     .flags      = DEVOPS_FLAG_NEED_GNTDEV,
     .init       = net_init,
-    .connect    = net_connect,
+    .initialise    = net_connect,
     .event      = net_event,
     .disconnect = net_disconnect,
     .free       = net_free,
diff --git a/hw/xenfb.c b/hw/xenfb.c
index d532d3e898..3a53711fa0 100644
--- a/hw/xenfb.c
+++ b/hw/xenfb.c
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ static int input_init(struct XenDevice *xendev)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int input_connect(struct XenDevice *xendev)
+static int input_initialise(struct XenDevice *xendev)
 {
     struct XenInput *in = container_of(xendev, struct XenInput, c.xendev);
     int rc;
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ static int fb_init(struct XenDevice *xendev)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int fb_connect(struct XenDevice *xendev)
+static int fb_initialise(struct XenDevice *xendev)
 {
     struct XenFB *fb = container_of(xendev, struct XenFB, c.xendev);
     struct xenfb_page *fb_page;
@@ -959,7 +959,7 @@ static void fb_event(struct XenDevice *xendev)
 struct XenDevOps xen_kbdmouse_ops = {
     .size       = sizeof(struct XenInput),
     .init       = input_init,
-    .connect    = input_connect,
+    .initialise = input_initialise,
     .disconnect = input_disconnect,
     .event      = input_event,
 };
@@ -967,7 +967,7 @@ struct XenDevOps xen_kbdmouse_ops = {
 struct XenDevOps xen_framebuffer_ops = {
     .size       = sizeof(struct XenFB),
     .init       = fb_init,
-    .connect    = fb_connect,
+    .initialise = fb_initialise,
     .disconnect = fb_disconnect,
     .event      = fb_event,
     .frontend_changed = fb_frontend_changed,