diff --git a/hw/net/virtio-net.c b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
index 7545a16ed7..1ea524ff09 100644
--- a/hw/net/virtio-net.c
+++ b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include "qemu/atomic.h"
 #include "qemu/iov.h"
+#include "qemu/log.h"
 #include "qemu/main-loop.h"
 #include "qemu/module.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio.h"
@@ -3172,8 +3173,22 @@ static NetClientInfo net_virtio_info = {
 static bool virtio_net_guest_notifier_pending(VirtIODevice *vdev, int idx)
 {
     VirtIONet *n = VIRTIO_NET(vdev);
-    NetClientState *nc = qemu_get_subqueue(n->nic, vq2q(idx));
+    NetClientState *nc;
     assert(n->vhost_started);
+    if (!virtio_vdev_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_MQ) && idx == 2) {
+        /* Must guard against invalid features and bogus queue index
+         * from being set by malicious guest, or penetrated through
+         * buggy migration stream.
+         */
+        if (!virtio_vdev_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_CTRL_VQ)) {
+            qemu_log_mask(LOG_GUEST_ERROR,
+                          "%s: bogus vq index ignored\n", __func__);
+            return false;
+        }
+        nc = qemu_get_subqueue(n->nic, n->max_queue_pairs);
+    } else {
+        nc = qemu_get_subqueue(n->nic, vq2q(idx));
+    }
     return vhost_net_virtqueue_pending(get_vhost_net(nc->peer), idx);
 }
 
@@ -3181,8 +3196,22 @@ static void virtio_net_guest_notifier_mask(VirtIODevice *vdev, int idx,
                                            bool mask)
 {
     VirtIONet *n = VIRTIO_NET(vdev);
-    NetClientState *nc = qemu_get_subqueue(n->nic, vq2q(idx));
+    NetClientState *nc;
     assert(n->vhost_started);
+    if (!virtio_vdev_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_MQ) && idx == 2) {
+        /* Must guard against invalid features and bogus queue index
+         * from being set by malicious guest, or penetrated through
+         * buggy migration stream.
+         */
+        if (!virtio_vdev_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_NET_F_CTRL_VQ)) {
+            qemu_log_mask(LOG_GUEST_ERROR,
+                          "%s: bogus vq index ignored\n", __func__);
+            return;
+        }
+        nc = qemu_get_subqueue(n->nic, n->max_queue_pairs);
+    } else {
+        nc = qemu_get_subqueue(n->nic, vq2q(idx));
+    }
     vhost_net_virtqueue_mask(get_vhost_net(nc->peer),
                              vdev, idx, mask);
 }