diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 9bcff7d63c..d8fe90eafe 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -993,7 +993,7 @@ void cpu_synchronize_all_pre_loadvm(void)
     }
 }
 
-static int do_vm_stop(RunState state)
+static int do_vm_stop(RunState state, bool send_stop)
 {
     int ret = 0;
 
@@ -1002,7 +1002,9 @@ static int do_vm_stop(RunState state)
         pause_all_vcpus();
         runstate_set(state);
         vm_state_notify(0, state);
-        qapi_event_send_stop(&error_abort);
+        if (send_stop) {
+            qapi_event_send_stop(&error_abort);
+        }
     }
 
     bdrv_drain_all();
@@ -1012,6 +1014,14 @@ static int do_vm_stop(RunState state)
     return ret;
 }
 
+/* Special vm_stop() variant for terminating the process.  Historically clients
+ * did not expect a QMP STOP event and so we need to retain compatibility.
+ */
+int vm_shutdown(void)
+{
+    return do_vm_stop(RUN_STATE_SHUTDOWN, false);
+}
+
 static bool cpu_can_run(CPUState *cpu)
 {
     if (cpu->stop) {
@@ -1994,7 +2004,7 @@ int vm_stop(RunState state)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    return do_vm_stop(state);
+    return do_vm_stop(state, true);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/include/sysemu/iothread.h b/include/sysemu/iothread.h
index 799614ffd2..8a7ac2c528 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/iothread.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/iothread.h
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ typedef struct {
 char *iothread_get_id(IOThread *iothread);
 IOThread *iothread_by_id(const char *id);
 AioContext *iothread_get_aio_context(IOThread *iothread);
-void iothread_stop_all(void);
 GMainContext *iothread_get_g_main_context(IOThread *iothread);
 
 /*
diff --git a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
index d24ad09f37..356bfdc1c1 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ void vm_start(void);
 int vm_prepare_start(void);
 int vm_stop(RunState state);
 int vm_stop_force_state(RunState state);
+int vm_shutdown(void);
 
 typedef enum WakeupReason {
     /* Always keep QEMU_WAKEUP_REASON_NONE = 0 */
diff --git a/iothread.c b/iothread.c
index 2ec5a3bffe..1b3463cb00 100644
--- a/iothread.c
+++ b/iothread.c
@@ -101,18 +101,6 @@ void iothread_stop(IOThread *iothread)
     qemu_thread_join(&iothread->thread);
 }
 
-static int iothread_stop_iter(Object *object, void *opaque)
-{
-    IOThread *iothread;
-
-    iothread = (IOThread *)object_dynamic_cast(object, TYPE_IOTHREAD);
-    if (!iothread) {
-        return 0;
-    }
-    iothread_stop(iothread);
-    return 0;
-}
-
 static void iothread_instance_init(Object *obj)
 {
     IOThread *iothread = IOTHREAD(obj);
@@ -333,25 +321,6 @@ IOThreadInfoList *qmp_query_iothreads(Error **errp)
     return head;
 }
 
-void iothread_stop_all(void)
-{
-    Object *container = object_get_objects_root();
-    BlockDriverState *bs;
-    BdrvNextIterator it;
-
-    for (bs = bdrv_first(&it); bs; bs = bdrv_next(&it)) {
-        AioContext *ctx = bdrv_get_aio_context(bs);
-        if (ctx == qemu_get_aio_context()) {
-            continue;
-        }
-        aio_context_acquire(ctx);
-        bdrv_set_aio_context(bs, qemu_get_aio_context());
-        aio_context_release(ctx);
-    }
-
-    object_child_foreach(container, iothread_stop_iter, NULL);
-}
-
 static gpointer iothread_g_main_context_init(gpointer opaque)
 {
     AioContext *ctx;
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index dae986b352..3ef04ce991 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -4722,17 +4722,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     os_setup_post();
 
     main_loop();
-    replay_disable_events();
 
-    /* The ordering of the following is delicate.  Stop vcpus to prevent new
-     * I/O requests being queued by the guest.  Then stop IOThreads (this
-     * includes a drain operation and completes all request processing).  At
-     * this point emulated devices are still associated with their IOThreads
-     * (if any) but no longer have any work to do.  Only then can we close
-     * block devices safely because we know there is no more I/O coming.
-     */
-    pause_all_vcpus();
-    iothread_stop_all();
+    /* No more vcpu or device emulation activity beyond this point */
+    vm_shutdown();
+
     bdrv_close_all();
 
     res_free();