diff --git a/hw/xen/xen_backend.c b/hw/xen/xen_backend.c
index 2510e2e4ff..ae2a1f01bd 100644
--- a/hw/xen/xen_backend.c
+++ b/hw/xen/xen_backend.c
@@ -243,19 +243,19 @@ static struct XenDevice *xen_be_get_xendev(const char *type, int dom, int dev,
     xendev->debug      = debug;
     xendev->local_port = -1;
 
-    xendev->evtchndev = xen_xc_evtchn_open(NULL, 0);
-    if (xendev->evtchndev == XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
+    xendev->evtchndev = xenevtchn_open(NULL, 0);
+    if (xendev->evtchndev == NULL) {
         xen_be_printf(NULL, 0, "can't open evtchn device\n");
         g_free(xendev);
         return NULL;
     }
-    fcntl(xc_evtchn_fd(xendev->evtchndev), F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC);
+    fcntl(xenevtchn_fd(xendev->evtchndev), F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC);
 
     if (ops->flags & DEVOPS_FLAG_NEED_GNTDEV) {
         xendev->gnttabdev = xen_xc_gnttab_open(NULL, 0);
         if (xendev->gnttabdev == XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
             xen_be_printf(NULL, 0, "can't open gnttab device\n");
-            xc_evtchn_close(xendev->evtchndev);
+            xenevtchn_close(xendev->evtchndev);
             g_free(xendev);
             return NULL;
         }
@@ -306,8 +306,8 @@ static struct XenDevice *xen_be_del_xendev(int dom, int dev)
             g_free(xendev->fe);
         }
 
-        if (xendev->evtchndev != XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
-            xc_evtchn_close(xendev->evtchndev);
+        if (xendev->evtchndev != NULL) {
+            xenevtchn_close(xendev->evtchndev);
         }
         if (xendev->gnttabdev != XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
             xc_gnttab_close(xendev->gnttabdev);
@@ -691,13 +691,14 @@ static void xen_be_evtchn_event(void *opaque)
     struct XenDevice *xendev = opaque;
     evtchn_port_t port;
 
-    port = xc_evtchn_pending(xendev->evtchndev);
+    port = xenevtchn_pending(xendev->evtchndev);
     if (port != xendev->local_port) {
-        xen_be_printf(xendev, 0, "xc_evtchn_pending returned %d (expected %d)\n",
+        xen_be_printf(xendev, 0,
+                      "xenevtchn_pending returned %d (expected %d)\n",
                       port, xendev->local_port);
         return;
     }
-    xc_evtchn_unmask(xendev->evtchndev, port);
+    xenevtchn_unmask(xendev->evtchndev, port);
 
     if (xendev->ops->event) {
         xendev->ops->event(xendev);
@@ -740,14 +741,14 @@ int xen_be_bind_evtchn(struct XenDevice *xendev)
     if (xendev->local_port != -1) {
         return 0;
     }
-    xendev->local_port = xc_evtchn_bind_interdomain
+    xendev->local_port = xenevtchn_bind_interdomain
         (xendev->evtchndev, xendev->dom, xendev->remote_port);
     if (xendev->local_port == -1) {
-        xen_be_printf(xendev, 0, "xc_evtchn_bind_interdomain failed\n");
+        xen_be_printf(xendev, 0, "xenevtchn_bind_interdomain failed\n");
         return -1;
     }
     xen_be_printf(xendev, 2, "bind evtchn port %d\n", xendev->local_port);
-    qemu_set_fd_handler(xc_evtchn_fd(xendev->evtchndev),
+    qemu_set_fd_handler(xenevtchn_fd(xendev->evtchndev),
                         xen_be_evtchn_event, NULL, xendev);
     return 0;
 }
@@ -757,15 +758,15 @@ void xen_be_unbind_evtchn(struct XenDevice *xendev)
     if (xendev->local_port == -1) {
         return;
     }
-    qemu_set_fd_handler(xc_evtchn_fd(xendev->evtchndev), NULL, NULL, NULL);
-    xc_evtchn_unbind(xendev->evtchndev, xendev->local_port);
+    qemu_set_fd_handler(xenevtchn_fd(xendev->evtchndev), NULL, NULL, NULL);
+    xenevtchn_unbind(xendev->evtchndev, xendev->local_port);
     xen_be_printf(xendev, 2, "unbind evtchn port %d\n", xendev->local_port);
     xendev->local_port = -1;
 }
 
 int xen_be_send_notify(struct XenDevice *xendev)
 {
-    return xc_evtchn_notify(xendev->evtchndev, xendev->local_port);
+    return xenevtchn_notify(xendev->evtchndev, xendev->local_port);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/include/hw/xen/xen_backend.h b/include/hw/xen/xen_backend.h
index 3b4125e39f..a90314f182 100644
--- a/include/hw/xen/xen_backend.h
+++ b/include/hw/xen/xen_backend.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ struct XenDevice {
     int                remote_port;
     int                local_port;
 
-    XenEvtchn          evtchndev;
+    xenevtchn_handle   *evtchndev;
     XenGnttab          gnttabdev;
 
     struct XenDevOps   *ops;
diff --git a/include/hw/xen/xen_common.h b/include/hw/xen/xen_common.h
index 4ac0c6f443..5c51b441da 100644
--- a/include/hw/xen/xen_common.h
+++ b/include/hw/xen/xen_common.h
@@ -39,17 +39,38 @@ static inline void *xc_map_foreign_bulk(int xc_handle, uint32_t dom, int prot,
 #if CONFIG_XEN_CTRL_INTERFACE_VERSION < 410
 
 typedef int XenXC;
-typedef int XenEvtchn;
+typedef int xenevtchn_handle;
 typedef int XenGnttab;
 
 #  define XC_INTERFACE_FMT "%i"
 #  define XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE    -1
 
-static inline XenEvtchn xen_xc_evtchn_open(void *logger,
-                                           unsigned int open_flags)
+static inline xenevtchn_handle *xenevtchn_open(void *logger,
+                                               unsigned int open_flags)
 {
-    return xc_evtchn_open();
+    xenevtchn_handle *h = malloc(sizeof(*h));
+    if (!h) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    *h = xc_evtchn_open();
+    if (*h == -1) {
+        free(h);
+        h = NULL;
+    }
+    return h;
 }
+static inline int xenevtchn_close(xenevtchn_handle *h)
+{
+    int rc = xc_evtchn_close(*h);
+    free(h);
+    return rc;
+}
+#define xenevtchn_fd(h) xc_evtchn_fd(*h)
+#define xenevtchn_pending(h) xc_evtchn_pending(*h)
+#define xenevtchn_notify(h, p) xc_evtchn_notify(*h, p)
+#define xenevtchn_bind_interdomain(h, d, p) xc_evtchn_bind_interdomain(*h, d, p)
+#define xenevtchn_unmask(h, p) xc_evtchn_unmask(*h, p)
+#define xenevtchn_unbind(h, p) xc_evtchn_unmask(*h, p)
 
 static inline XenGnttab xen_xc_gnttab_open(void *logger,
                                            unsigned int open_flags)
@@ -108,17 +129,20 @@ static inline void xs_close(struct xs_handle *xsh)
 #else
 
 typedef xc_interface *XenXC;
-typedef xc_evtchn *XenEvtchn;
+typedef xc_evtchn xenevtchn_handle;
 typedef xc_gnttab *XenGnttab;
 
 #  define XC_INTERFACE_FMT "%p"
 #  define XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE    NULL
 
-static inline XenEvtchn xen_xc_evtchn_open(void *logger,
-                                           unsigned int open_flags)
-{
-    return xc_evtchn_open(logger, open_flags);
-}
+#define xenevtchn_open(l, f) xc_evtchn_open(l, f);
+#define xenevtchn_close(h) xc_evtchn_close(h)
+#define xenevtchn_fd(h) xc_evtchn_fd(h)
+#define xenevtchn_pending(h) xc_evtchn_pending(h)
+#define xenevtchn_notify(h, p) xc_evtchn_notify(h, p)
+#define xenevtchn_bind_interdomain(h, d, p) xc_evtchn_bind_interdomain(h, d, p)
+#define xenevtchn_unmask(h, p) xc_evtchn_unmask(h, p)
+#define xenevtchn_unbind(h, p) xc_evtchn_unbind(h, p)
 
 static inline XenGnttab xen_xc_gnttab_open(void *logger,
                                            unsigned int open_flags)
diff --git a/xen-hvm.c b/xen-hvm.c
index a9085a81ac..1b6fa9e56e 100644
--- a/xen-hvm.c
+++ b/xen-hvm.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ typedef struct XenIOState {
     /* evtchn local port for buffered io */
     evtchn_port_t bufioreq_local_port;
     /* the evtchn fd for polling */
-    XenEvtchn xce_handle;
+    xenevtchn_handle *xce_handle;
     /* which vcpu we are serving */
     int send_vcpu;
 
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ static ioreq_t *cpu_get_ioreq(XenIOState *state)
     int i;
     evtchn_port_t port;
 
-    port = xc_evtchn_pending(state->xce_handle);
+    port = xenevtchn_pending(state->xce_handle);
     if (port == state->bufioreq_local_port) {
         timer_mod(state->buffered_io_timer,
                 BUFFER_IO_MAX_DELAY + qemu_clock_get_ms(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME));
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ static ioreq_t *cpu_get_ioreq(XenIOState *state)
         }
 
         /* unmask the wanted port again */
-        xc_evtchn_unmask(state->xce_handle, port);
+        xenevtchn_unmask(state->xce_handle, port);
 
         /* get the io packet from shared memory */
         state->send_vcpu = i;
@@ -1043,7 +1043,7 @@ static void handle_buffered_io(void *opaque)
                 BUFFER_IO_MAX_DELAY + qemu_clock_get_ms(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME));
     } else {
         timer_del(state->buffered_io_timer);
-        xc_evtchn_unmask(state->xce_handle, state->bufioreq_local_port);
+        xenevtchn_unmask(state->xce_handle, state->bufioreq_local_port);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1087,7 +1087,8 @@ static void cpu_handle_ioreq(void *opaque)
         }
 
         req->state = STATE_IORESP_READY;
-        xc_evtchn_notify(state->xce_handle, state->ioreq_local_port[state->send_vcpu]);
+        xenevtchn_notify(state->xce_handle,
+                         state->ioreq_local_port[state->send_vcpu]);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1095,8 +1096,8 @@ static void xen_main_loop_prepare(XenIOState *state)
 {
     int evtchn_fd = -1;
 
-    if (state->xce_handle != XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
-        evtchn_fd = xc_evtchn_fd(state->xce_handle);
+    if (state->xce_handle != NULL) {
+        evtchn_fd = xenevtchn_fd(state->xce_handle);
     }
 
     state->buffered_io_timer = timer_new_ms(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME, handle_buffered_io,
@@ -1134,7 +1135,7 @@ static void xen_exit_notifier(Notifier *n, void *data)
 {
     XenIOState *state = container_of(n, XenIOState, exit);
 
-    xc_evtchn_close(state->xce_handle);
+    xenevtchn_close(state->xce_handle);
     xs_daemon_close(state->xenstore);
 }
 
@@ -1201,8 +1202,8 @@ void xen_hvm_init(PCMachineState *pcms, MemoryRegion **ram_memory)
 
     state = g_malloc0(sizeof (XenIOState));
 
-    state->xce_handle = xen_xc_evtchn_open(NULL, 0);
-    if (state->xce_handle == XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
+    state->xce_handle = xenevtchn_open(NULL, 0);
+    if (state->xce_handle == NULL) {
         perror("xen: event channel open");
         goto err;
     }
@@ -1289,7 +1290,7 @@ void xen_hvm_init(PCMachineState *pcms, MemoryRegion **ram_memory)
 
     /* FIXME: how about if we overflow the page here? */
     for (i = 0; i < max_cpus; i++) {
-        rc = xc_evtchn_bind_interdomain(state->xce_handle, xen_domid,
+        rc = xenevtchn_bind_interdomain(state->xce_handle, xen_domid,
                                         xen_vcpu_eport(state->shared_page, i));
         if (rc == -1) {
             error_report("shared evtchn %d bind error %d", i, errno);
@@ -1298,7 +1299,7 @@ void xen_hvm_init(PCMachineState *pcms, MemoryRegion **ram_memory)
         state->ioreq_local_port[i] = rc;
     }
 
-    rc = xc_evtchn_bind_interdomain(state->xce_handle, xen_domid,
+    rc = xenevtchn_bind_interdomain(state->xce_handle, xen_domid,
                                     bufioreq_evtchn);
     if (rc == -1) {
         error_report("buffered evtchn bind error %d", errno);