diff --git a/backends/rng-egd.c b/backends/rng-egd.c
index 7a1b9242d8..ba17c075cf 100644
--- a/backends/rng-egd.c
+++ b/backends/rng-egd.c
@@ -41,7 +41,9 @@ static void rng_egd_request_entropy(RngBackend *b, RngRequest *req)
         header[0] = 0x02;
         header[1] = len;
 
-        qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, header, sizeof(header));
+        /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+         * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+        qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, header, sizeof(header));
 
         size -= len;
     }
diff --git a/gdbstub.c b/gdbstub.c
index 5da66f1794..ecea8c42cf 100644
--- a/gdbstub.c
+++ b/gdbstub.c
@@ -402,7 +402,9 @@ static void put_buffer(GDBState *s, const uint8_t *buf, int len)
         }
     }
 #else
-    qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, buf, len);
+    /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+     * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+    qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, buf, len);
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/arm/omap2.c b/hw/arm/omap2.c
index 3a0d77714a..7e11c65cba 100644
--- a/hw/arm/omap2.c
+++ b/hw/arm/omap2.c
@@ -769,14 +769,16 @@ static void omap_sti_fifo_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
 
     if (ch == STI_TRACE_CONTROL_CHANNEL) {
         /* Flush channel <i>value</i>.  */
-        qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, (const uint8_t *) "\r", 1);
+        /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+         * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+        qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, (const uint8_t *) "\r", 1);
     } else if (ch == STI_TRACE_CONSOLE_CHANNEL || 1) {
         if (value == 0xc0 || value == 0xc3) {
             /* Open channel <i>ch</i>.  */
         } else if (value == 0x00)
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, (const uint8_t *) "\n", 1);
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, (const uint8_t *) "\n", 1);
         else
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &byte, 1);
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &byte, 1);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/arm/pxa2xx.c b/hw/arm/pxa2xx.c
index cb55704687..0241e07d84 100644
--- a/hw/arm/pxa2xx.c
+++ b/hw/arm/pxa2xx.c
@@ -1903,7 +1903,9 @@ static void pxa2xx_fir_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
         else
             ch = ~value;
         if (s->chr && s->enable && (s->control[0] & (1 << 3)))	/* TXE */
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
         break;
     case ICSR0:
         s->status[0] &= ~(value & 0x66);
diff --git a/hw/arm/strongarm.c b/hw/arm/strongarm.c
index f1b2c6c966..021cbf9a0f 100644
--- a/hw/arm/strongarm.c
+++ b/hw/arm/strongarm.c
@@ -1108,7 +1108,9 @@ static void strongarm_uart_tx(void *opaque)
     if (s->utcr3 & UTCR3_LBM) /* loopback */ {
         strongarm_uart_receive(s, &s->tx_fifo[s->tx_start], 1);
     } else if (s->chr) {
-        qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &s->tx_fifo[s->tx_start], 1);
+        /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+         * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+        qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &s->tx_fifo[s->tx_start], 1);
     }
 
     s->tx_start = (s->tx_start + 1) % 8;
diff --git a/hw/char/bcm2835_aux.c b/hw/char/bcm2835_aux.c
index 319f1652f6..f7a845d3e2 100644
--- a/hw/char/bcm2835_aux.c
+++ b/hw/char/bcm2835_aux.c
@@ -169,7 +169,9 @@ static void bcm2835_aux_write(void *opaque, hwaddr offset, uint64_t value,
         /* "DLAB bit set means access baudrate register" is NYI */
         ch = value;
         if (s->chr) {
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
         }
         break;
 
diff --git a/hw/char/debugcon.c b/hw/char/debugcon.c
index e7f025ec67..4402033861 100644
--- a/hw/char/debugcon.c
+++ b/hw/char/debugcon.c
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ static void debugcon_ioport_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr, uint64_t val,
     printf(" [debugcon: write addr=0x%04" HWADDR_PRIx " val=0x%02" PRIx64 "]\n", addr, val);
 #endif
 
-    qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+    /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+     * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+    qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/hw/char/digic-uart.c b/hw/char/digic-uart.c
index c7604e6766..e96a9b2d8d 100644
--- a/hw/char/digic-uart.c
+++ b/hw/char/digic-uart.c
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ static void digic_uart_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr, uint64_t value,
     switch (addr) {
     case R_TX:
         if (s->chr) {
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
             qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
         }
         break;
diff --git a/hw/char/escc.c b/hw/char/escc.c
index 31a5f902f9..aa1739762b 100644
--- a/hw/char/escc.c
+++ b/hw/char/escc.c
@@ -557,7 +557,9 @@ static void escc_mem_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
         s->tx = val;
         if (s->wregs[W_TXCTRL2] & TXCTRL2_TXEN) { // tx enabled
             if (s->chr)
-                qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &s->tx, 1);
+                /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+                 * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+                qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &s->tx, 1);
             else if (s->type == kbd && !s->disabled) {
                 handle_kbd_command(s, val);
             }
diff --git a/hw/char/etraxfs_ser.c b/hw/char/etraxfs_ser.c
index 04ca04fe2c..c99cc5d130 100644
--- a/hw/char/etraxfs_ser.c
+++ b/hw/char/etraxfs_ser.c
@@ -126,7 +126,9 @@ ser_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
     switch (addr)
     {
         case RW_DOUT:
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
             s->regs[R_INTR] |= 3;
             s->pending_tx = 1;
             s->regs[addr] = value;
diff --git a/hw/char/exynos4210_uart.c b/hw/char/exynos4210_uart.c
index 885ecc027b..1107578138 100644
--- a/hw/char/exynos4210_uart.c
+++ b/hw/char/exynos4210_uart.c
@@ -387,7 +387,9 @@ static void exynos4210_uart_write(void *opaque, hwaddr offset,
             s->reg[I_(UTRSTAT)] &= ~(UTRSTAT_TRANSMITTER_EMPTY |
                     UTRSTAT_Tx_BUFFER_EMPTY);
             ch = (uint8_t)val;
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
 #if DEBUG_Tx_DATA
             fprintf(stderr, "%c", ch);
 #endif
diff --git a/hw/char/grlib_apbuart.c b/hw/char/grlib_apbuart.c
index 871524c82f..778148a15e 100644
--- a/hw/char/grlib_apbuart.c
+++ b/hw/char/grlib_apbuart.c
@@ -203,7 +203,9 @@ static void grlib_apbuart_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
         /* Transmit when character device available and transmitter enabled */
         if ((uart->chr) && (uart->control & UART_TRANSMIT_ENABLE)) {
             c = value & 0xFF;
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(uart->chr, &c, 1);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(uart->chr, &c, 1);
             /* Generate interrupt */
             if (uart->control & UART_TRANSMIT_INTERRUPT) {
                 qemu_irq_pulse(uart->irq);
diff --git a/hw/char/imx_serial.c b/hw/char/imx_serial.c
index 44856d671e..5c3fa61e4c 100644
--- a/hw/char/imx_serial.c
+++ b/hw/char/imx_serial.c
@@ -182,7 +182,9 @@ static void imx_serial_write(void *opaque, hwaddr offset,
         ch = value;
         if (s->ucr2 & UCR2_TXEN) {
             if (s->chr) {
-                qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+                /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+                 * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+                qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
             }
             s->usr1 &= ~USR1_TRDY;
             imx_update(s);
diff --git a/hw/char/ipoctal232.c b/hw/char/ipoctal232.c
index 9ead32af60..2859fdd7fb 100644
--- a/hw/char/ipoctal232.c
+++ b/hw/char/ipoctal232.c
@@ -360,7 +360,9 @@ static void io_write(IPackDevice *ip, uint8_t addr, uint16_t val)
             DPRINTF("Write THR%c (0x%x)\n", channel + 'a', reg);
             if (ch->dev) {
                 uint8_t thr = reg;
-                qemu_chr_fe_write(ch->dev, &thr, 1);
+                /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+                 * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+                qemu_chr_fe_write_all(ch->dev, &thr, 1);
             }
         } else {
             DPRINTF("Write THR%c (0x%x), Tx disabled\n", channel + 'a', reg);
diff --git a/hw/char/lm32_juart.c b/hw/char/lm32_juart.c
index 28c2cf702d..cb1ac76731 100644
--- a/hw/char/lm32_juart.c
+++ b/hw/char/lm32_juart.c
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ void lm32_juart_set_jtx(DeviceState *d, uint32_t jtx)
 
     s->jtx = jtx;
     if (s->chr) {
+        /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+         * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
         qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
     }
 }
diff --git a/hw/char/lm32_uart.c b/hw/char/lm32_uart.c
index b5c760dda3..be93697a39 100644
--- a/hw/char/lm32_uart.c
+++ b/hw/char/lm32_uart.c
@@ -178,6 +178,8 @@ static void uart_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
     switch (addr) {
     case R_RXTX:
         if (s->chr) {
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
             qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
         }
         break;
diff --git a/hw/char/mcf_uart.c b/hw/char/mcf_uart.c
index 3c0438fd79..c184859c83 100644
--- a/hw/char/mcf_uart.c
+++ b/hw/char/mcf_uart.c
@@ -114,7 +114,9 @@ static void mcf_uart_do_tx(mcf_uart_state *s)
 {
     if (s->tx_enabled && (s->sr & MCF_UART_TxEMP) == 0) {
         if (s->chr)
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, (unsigned char *)&s->tb, 1);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, (unsigned char *)&s->tb, 1);
         s->sr |= MCF_UART_TxEMP;
     }
     if (s->tx_enabled) {
diff --git a/hw/char/parallel.c b/hw/char/parallel.c
index fa085667ff..da22e36356 100644
--- a/hw/char/parallel.c
+++ b/hw/char/parallel.c
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ parallel_ioport_write_sw(void *opaque, uint32_t addr, uint32_t val)
             if (val & PARA_CTR_STROBE) {
                 s->status &= ~PARA_STS_BUSY;
                 if ((s->control & PARA_CTR_STROBE) == 0)
-                    qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &s->dataw, 1);
+                    /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+                     * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+                    qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &s->dataw, 1);
             } else {
                 if (s->control & PARA_CTR_INTEN) {
                     s->irq_pending = 1;
diff --git a/hw/char/pl011.c b/hw/char/pl011.c
index c0fbf8a874..786e605fdd 100644
--- a/hw/char/pl011.c
+++ b/hw/char/pl011.c
@@ -146,7 +146,9 @@ static void pl011_write(void *opaque, hwaddr offset,
         /* ??? Check if transmitter is enabled.  */
         ch = value;
         if (s->chr)
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
         s->int_level |= PL011_INT_TX;
         pl011_update(s);
         break;
diff --git a/hw/char/sclpconsole-lm.c b/hw/char/sclpconsole-lm.c
index dbe753147b..9a563269e6 100644
--- a/hw/char/sclpconsole-lm.c
+++ b/hw/char/sclpconsole-lm.c
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ static void chr_read(void *opaque, const uint8_t *buf, int size)
     scon->buf[scon->length] = *buf;
     scon->length += 1;
     if (scon->echo) {
-        qemu_chr_fe_write(scon->chr, buf, size);
+        /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+         * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+        qemu_chr_fe_write_all(scon->chr, buf, size);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/char/sclpconsole.c b/hw/char/sclpconsole.c
index d22464826b..a75ad4f60a 100644
--- a/hw/char/sclpconsole.c
+++ b/hw/char/sclpconsole.c
@@ -168,6 +168,8 @@ static ssize_t write_console_data(SCLPEvent *event, const uint8_t *buf,
         return len;
     }
 
+    /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+     * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
     return qemu_chr_fe_write_all(scon->chr, buf, len);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/char/sh_serial.c b/hw/char/sh_serial.c
index 4c55dcb7dc..97ce5629a4 100644
--- a/hw/char/sh_serial.c
+++ b/hw/char/sh_serial.c
@@ -111,7 +111,9 @@ static void sh_serial_write(void *opaque, hwaddr offs,
     case 0x0c: /* FTDR / TDR */
         if (s->chr) {
             ch = val;
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
 	}
 	s->dr = val;
 	s->flags &= ~SH_SERIAL_FLAG_TDE;
diff --git a/hw/char/spapr_vty.c b/hw/char/spapr_vty.c
index 3498d7b052..9aeafc0c42 100644
--- a/hw/char/spapr_vty.c
+++ b/hw/char/spapr_vty.c
@@ -60,8 +60,9 @@ void vty_putchars(VIOsPAPRDevice *sdev, uint8_t *buf, int len)
 {
     VIOsPAPRVTYDevice *dev = VIO_SPAPR_VTY_DEVICE(sdev);
 
-    /* FIXME: should check the qemu_chr_fe_write() return value */
-    qemu_chr_fe_write(dev->chardev, buf, len);
+    /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+     * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+    qemu_chr_fe_write_all(dev->chardev, buf, len);
 }
 
 static void spapr_vty_realize(VIOsPAPRDevice *sdev, Error **errp)
diff --git a/hw/char/stm32f2xx_usart.c b/hw/char/stm32f2xx_usart.c
index 15657abda9..4c6640dbe9 100644
--- a/hw/char/stm32f2xx_usart.c
+++ b/hw/char/stm32f2xx_usart.c
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ static void stm32f2xx_usart_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
         if (value < 0xF000) {
             ch = value;
             if (s->chr) {
+                /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+                 * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
                 qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
             }
             s->usart_sr |= USART_SR_TC;
diff --git a/hw/char/virtio-console.c b/hw/char/virtio-console.c
index 4f0e03d3b7..d44c18c128 100644
--- a/hw/char/virtio-console.c
+++ b/hw/char/virtio-console.c
@@ -68,6 +68,27 @@ static ssize_t flush_buf(VirtIOSerialPort *port,
          */
         if (ret < 0)
             ret = 0;
+
+        /* XXX we should be queuing data to send later for the
+         * console devices too rather than silently dropping
+         * console data on EAGAIN. The Linux virtio-console
+         * hvc driver though does sends with spinlocks held,
+         * so if we enable throttling that'll stall the entire
+         * guest kernel, not merely the process writing to the
+         * console.
+         *
+         * While we could queue data for later write without
+         * enabling throttling, this would result in the guest
+         * being able to trigger arbitrary memory usage in QEMU
+         * buffering data for later writes.
+         *
+         * So fixing this problem likely requires fixing the
+         * Linux virtio-console hvc driver to not hold spinlocks
+         * while writing, and instead merely block the process
+         * that's writing. QEMU would then need some way to detect
+         * if the guest had the fixed driver too, before we can
+         * use throttling on host side.
+         */
         if (!k->is_console) {
             virtio_serial_throttle_port(port, true);
             if (!vcon->watch) {
diff --git a/hw/char/xilinx_uartlite.c b/hw/char/xilinx_uartlite.c
index 4847efb29f..3766dc2c5b 100644
--- a/hw/char/xilinx_uartlite.c
+++ b/hw/char/xilinx_uartlite.c
@@ -144,7 +144,9 @@ uart_write(void *opaque, hwaddr addr,
 
         case R_TX:
             if (s->chr)
-                qemu_chr_fe_write(s->chr, &ch, 1);
+                /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+                 * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+                qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->chr, &ch, 1);
 
             s->regs[addr] = value;
 
diff --git a/hw/usb/ccid-card-passthru.c b/hw/usb/ccid-card-passthru.c
index c0e90e501c..2eacea72f3 100644
--- a/hw/usb/ccid-card-passthru.c
+++ b/hw/usb/ccid-card-passthru.c
@@ -75,8 +75,11 @@ static void ccid_card_vscard_send_msg(PassthruState *s,
     scr_msg_header.type = htonl(type);
     scr_msg_header.reader_id = htonl(reader_id);
     scr_msg_header.length = htonl(length);
-    qemu_chr_fe_write(s->cs, (uint8_t *)&scr_msg_header, sizeof(VSCMsgHeader));
-    qemu_chr_fe_write(s->cs, payload, length);
+    /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+     * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+    qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->cs, (uint8_t *)&scr_msg_header,
+                          sizeof(VSCMsgHeader));
+    qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->cs, payload, length);
 }
 
 static void ccid_card_vscard_send_apdu(PassthruState *s,
diff --git a/hw/usb/dev-serial.c b/hw/usb/dev-serial.c
index ba8538e60e..966ad84b90 100644
--- a/hw/usb/dev-serial.c
+++ b/hw/usb/dev-serial.c
@@ -366,7 +366,9 @@ static void usb_serial_handle_data(USBDevice *dev, USBPacket *p)
             goto fail;
         for (i = 0; i < p->iov.niov; i++) {
             iov = p->iov.iov + i;
-            qemu_chr_fe_write(s->cs, iov->iov_base, iov->iov_len);
+            /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+             * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+            qemu_chr_fe_write_all(s->cs, iov->iov_base, iov->iov_len);
         }
         p->actual_length = p->iov.size;
         break;
diff --git a/slirp/slirp.c b/slirp/slirp.c
index d67eda12f4..6e2b4e5a90 100644
--- a/slirp/slirp.c
+++ b/slirp/slirp.c
@@ -1072,7 +1072,9 @@ int slirp_add_exec(Slirp *slirp, int do_pty, const void *args,
 ssize_t slirp_send(struct socket *so, const void *buf, size_t len, int flags)
 {
     if (so->s == -1 && so->extra) {
-        qemu_chr_fe_write(so->extra, buf, len);
+        /* XXX this blocks entire thread. Rewrite to use
+         * qemu_chr_fe_write and background I/O callbacks */
+        qemu_chr_fe_write_all(so->extra, buf, len);
         return len;
     }