diff --git a/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c b/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
index 071f4f57c0..f290f487a5 100644
--- a/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
+++ b/accel/kvm/kvm-all.c
@@ -812,10 +812,6 @@ static void kvm_mem_ioeventfd_del(MemoryListener *listener,
     if (r < 0) {
         abort();
     }
-
-    if (e->cleanup) {
-        e->cleanup(e);
-    }
 }
 
 static void kvm_io_ioeventfd_add(MemoryListener *listener,
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.c b/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.c
index 8106346927..3042232daf 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio-bus.c
@@ -256,15 +256,6 @@ bool virtio_bus_ioeventfd_enabled(VirtioBusState *bus)
     return k->ioeventfd_assign && k->ioeventfd_enabled(proxy);
 }
 
-static void virtio_bus_cleanup_event_notifier(EventNotifier *notifier)
-{
-    /* Test and clear notifier after disabling event,
-     * in case poll callback didn't have time to run.
-     */
-    virtio_queue_host_notifier_read(notifier);
-    event_notifier_cleanup(notifier);
-}
-
 /*
  * This function switches ioeventfd on/off in the device.
  * The caller must set or clear the handlers for the EventNotifier.
@@ -292,13 +283,19 @@ int virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(VirtioBusState *bus, int n, bool assign)
         r = k->ioeventfd_assign(proxy, notifier, n, true);
         if (r < 0) {
             error_report("%s: unable to assign ioeventfd: %d", __func__, r);
-            virtio_bus_cleanup_event_notifier(notifier);
+            goto cleanup_event_notifier;
         }
+        return 0;
     } else {
-        notifier->cleanup = virtio_bus_cleanup_event_notifier;
         k->ioeventfd_assign(proxy, notifier, n, false);
     }
 
+cleanup_event_notifier:
+    /* Test and clear notifier after disabling event,
+     * in case poll callback didn't have time to run.
+     */
+    virtio_queue_host_notifier_read(notifier);
+    event_notifier_cleanup(notifier);
     return r;
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio.c b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
index 3ac3491bee..d6002ee550 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio.c
@@ -2574,7 +2574,6 @@ static int virtio_device_start_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
     VirtioBusState *qbus = VIRTIO_BUS(qdev_get_parent_bus(DEVICE(vdev)));
     int n, r, err;
 
-    memory_region_transaction_begin();
     for (n = 0; n < VIRTIO_QUEUE_MAX; n++) {
         VirtQueue *vq = &vdev->vq[n];
         if (!virtio_queue_get_num(vdev, n)) {
@@ -2597,7 +2596,6 @@ static int virtio_device_start_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         }
         event_notifier_set(&vq->host_notifier);
     }
-    memory_region_transaction_commit();
     return 0;
 
 assign_error:
@@ -2611,7 +2609,6 @@ assign_error:
         r = virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(qbus, n, false);
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
-    memory_region_transaction_commit();
     return err;
 }
 
@@ -2628,7 +2625,6 @@ static void virtio_device_stop_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
     VirtioBusState *qbus = VIRTIO_BUS(qdev_get_parent_bus(DEVICE(vdev)));
     int n, r;
 
-    memory_region_transaction_begin();
     for (n = 0; n < VIRTIO_QUEUE_MAX; n++) {
         VirtQueue *vq = &vdev->vq[n];
 
@@ -2639,7 +2635,6 @@ static void virtio_device_stop_ioeventfd_impl(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         r = virtio_bus_set_host_notifier(qbus, n, false);
         assert(r >= 0);
     }
-    memory_region_transaction_commit();
 }
 
 void virtio_device_stop_ioeventfd(VirtIODevice *vdev)
diff --git a/include/qemu/event_notifier.h b/include/qemu/event_notifier.h
index b30a45474f..599c99f1a5 100644
--- a/include/qemu/event_notifier.h
+++ b/include/qemu/event_notifier.h
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ struct EventNotifier {
     int rfd;
     int wfd;
 #endif
-    void (*cleanup)(EventNotifier *);
 };
 
 typedef void EventNotifierHandler(EventNotifier *);
diff --git a/util/event_notifier-posix.c b/util/event_notifier-posix.c
index 652566634a..73c4046b58 100644
--- a/util/event_notifier-posix.c
+++ b/util/event_notifier-posix.c
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ void event_notifier_init_fd(EventNotifier *e, int fd)
 {
     e->rfd = fd;
     e->wfd = fd;
-    e->cleanup = NULL;
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -66,7 +65,6 @@ int event_notifier_init(EventNotifier *e, int active)
         e->rfd = fds[0];
         e->wfd = fds[1];
     }
-    e->cleanup = NULL;
     if (active) {
         event_notifier_set(e);
     }
@@ -82,11 +80,10 @@ void event_notifier_cleanup(EventNotifier *e)
 {
     if (e->rfd != e->wfd) {
         close(e->rfd);
+        e->rfd = -1;
     }
     close(e->wfd);
-    e->rfd = -1;
     e->wfd = -1;
-    e->cleanup = NULL;
 }
 
 int event_notifier_get_fd(const EventNotifier *e)
diff --git a/util/event_notifier-win32.c b/util/event_notifier-win32.c
index eff86701ad..62c53b0a99 100644
--- a/util/event_notifier-win32.c
+++ b/util/event_notifier-win32.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ int event_notifier_init(EventNotifier *e, int active)
 {
     e->event = CreateEvent(NULL, TRUE, FALSE, NULL);
     assert(e->event);
-    e->cleanup = NULL;
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -27,7 +26,6 @@ void event_notifier_cleanup(EventNotifier *e)
 {
     CloseHandle(e->event);
     e->event = NULL;
-    e->cleanup = NULL;
 }
 
 HANDLE event_notifier_get_handle(EventNotifier *e)