diff --git a/docs/specs/ivshmem-spec.txt b/docs/specs/ivshmem-spec.txt
index f3912c0565..a1f5499796 100644
--- a/docs/specs/ivshmem-spec.txt
+++ b/docs/specs/ivshmem-spec.txt
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ For each new client that connects to the server, the server
 - sends interrupt setup messages to the new client (these contain file
   descriptors for receiving interrupts).
 
+The first client to connect to the server receives ID zero.
+
 When a client disconnects from the server, the server sends disconnect
 notifications to the other clients.
 
diff --git a/hw/misc/ivshmem.c b/hw/misc/ivshmem.c
index 455206059f..132387f04b 100644
--- a/hw/misc/ivshmem.c
+++ b/hw/misc/ivshmem.c
@@ -887,6 +887,12 @@ static void ivshmem_common_realize(PCIDevice *dev, Error **errp)
             return;
         }
 
+        if (s->master == ON_OFF_AUTO_ON && s->vm_id != 0) {
+            error_setg(errp,
+                       "master must connect to the server before any peers");
+            return;
+        }
+
         qemu_chr_add_handlers(s->server_chr, ivshmem_can_receive,
                               ivshmem_read, NULL, s);
 
diff --git a/qemu-doc.texi b/qemu-doc.texi
index 0dd01c78fd..79141d3582 100644
--- a/qemu-doc.texi
+++ b/qemu-doc.texi
@@ -1295,12 +1295,17 @@ When using the server, the guest will be assigned a VM ID (>=0) that allows gues
 using the same server to communicate via interrupts.  Guests can read their
 VM ID from a device register (see ivshmem-spec.txt).
 
+@subsubsection Migration with ivshmem
+
 With device property @option{master=on}, the guest will copy the shared
 memory on migration to the destination host.  With @option{master=off},
 the guest will not be able to migrate with the device attached.  In the
 latter case, the device should be detached and then reattached after
 migration using the PCI hotplug support.
 
+At most one of the devices sharing the same memory can be master.  The
+master must complete migration before you plug back the other devices.
+
 @subsubsection ivshmem and hugepages
 
 Instead of specifying the <shm size> using POSIX shm, you may specify