diff --git a/qemu-char.c b/qemu-char.c
index afe2bfb4dd..88f40254b7 100644
--- a/qemu-char.c
+++ b/qemu-char.c
@@ -123,19 +123,20 @@ void qemu_chr_be_event(CharDriverState *s, int event)
     s->chr_event(s->handler_opaque, event);
 }
 
-static void qemu_chr_generic_open_bh(void *opaque)
+static void qemu_chr_fire_open_event(void *opaque)
 {
     CharDriverState *s = opaque;
     qemu_chr_be_event(s, CHR_EVENT_OPENED);
-    qemu_bh_delete(s->bh);
-    s->bh = NULL;
+    qemu_free_timer(s->open_timer);
+    s->open_timer = NULL;
 }
 
 void qemu_chr_generic_open(CharDriverState *s)
 {
-    if (s->bh == NULL) {
-	s->bh = qemu_bh_new(qemu_chr_generic_open_bh, s);
-	qemu_bh_schedule(s->bh);
+    if (s->open_timer == NULL) {
+        s->open_timer = qemu_new_timer_ms(vm_clock,
+                                          qemu_chr_fire_open_event, s);
+        qemu_mod_timer(s->open_timer, qemu_get_clock_ms(vm_clock) - 1);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/qemu-char.h b/qemu-char.h
index 486644b3bd..297dd98342 100644
--- a/qemu-char.h
+++ b/qemu-char.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ struct CharDriverState {
     void (*chr_guest_open)(struct CharDriverState *chr);
     void (*chr_guest_close)(struct CharDriverState *chr);
     void *opaque;
-    QEMUBH *bh;
+    QEMUTimer *open_timer;
     char *label;
     char *filename;
     int opened;
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 5a3d316980..5513d1518e 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3551,6 +3551,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
             add_device_config(DEV_VIRTCON, "vc:80Cx24C");
     }
 
+    if (init_timer_alarm() < 0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "could not initialize alarm timer\n");
+        exit(1);
+    }
+
     socket_init();
 
     if (qemu_opts_foreach(qemu_find_opts("chardev"), chardev_init_func, NULL, 1) != 0)
@@ -3618,11 +3623,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 
     os_set_line_buffering();
 
-    if (init_timer_alarm() < 0) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "could not initialize alarm timer\n");
-        exit(1);
-    }
-
 #ifdef CONFIG_SPICE
     /* spice needs the timers to be initialized by this point */
     qemu_spice_init();