diff --git a/include/migration/failover.h b/include/migration/failover.h
index 3274735068..7e0f36a274 100644
--- a/include/migration/failover.h
+++ b/include/migration/failover.h
@@ -14,7 +14,12 @@
 #define QEMU_FAILOVER_H
 
 #include "qemu-common.h"
+#include "qapi-types.h"
 
+void failover_init_state(void);
+FailoverStatus failover_set_state(FailoverStatus old_state,
+                                     FailoverStatus new_state);
+FailoverStatus failover_get_state(void);
 void failover_request_active(Error **errp);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/migration/colo-failover.c b/migration/colo-failover.c
index e31fc10c82..6cca039eb9 100644
--- a/migration/colo-failover.c
+++ b/migration/colo-failover.c
@@ -15,22 +15,63 @@
 #include "migration/failover.h"
 #include "qmp-commands.h"
 #include "qapi/qmp/qerror.h"
+#include "qemu/error-report.h"
+#include "trace.h"
 
 static QEMUBH *failover_bh;
+static FailoverStatus failover_state;
 
 static void colo_failover_bh(void *opaque)
 {
+    int old_state;
+
     qemu_bh_delete(failover_bh);
     failover_bh = NULL;
+
+    old_state = failover_set_state(FAILOVER_STATUS_REQUIRE,
+                                   FAILOVER_STATUS_ACTIVE);
+    if (old_state != FAILOVER_STATUS_REQUIRE) {
+        error_report("Unknown error for failover, old_state = %s",
+                    FailoverStatus_lookup[old_state]);
+        return;
+    }
+
     /* TODO: Do failover work */
 }
 
 void failover_request_active(Error **errp)
 {
+   if (failover_set_state(FAILOVER_STATUS_NONE,
+        FAILOVER_STATUS_REQUIRE) != FAILOVER_STATUS_NONE) {
+        error_setg(errp, "COLO failover is already actived");
+        return;
+    }
     failover_bh = qemu_bh_new(colo_failover_bh, NULL);
     qemu_bh_schedule(failover_bh);
 }
 
+void failover_init_state(void)
+{
+    failover_state = FAILOVER_STATUS_NONE;
+}
+
+FailoverStatus failover_set_state(FailoverStatus old_state,
+                    FailoverStatus new_state)
+{
+    FailoverStatus old;
+
+    old = atomic_cmpxchg(&failover_state, old_state, new_state);
+    if (old == old_state) {
+        trace_colo_failover_set_state(FailoverStatus_lookup[new_state]);
+    }
+    return old;
+}
+
+FailoverStatus failover_get_state(void)
+{
+    return atomic_read(&failover_state);
+}
+
 void qmp_x_colo_lost_heartbeat(Error **errp)
 {
     if (get_colo_mode() == COLO_MODE_UNKNOWN) {
diff --git a/migration/colo.c b/migration/colo.c
index 12fa0b4111..6b32c9183c 100644
--- a/migration/colo.c
+++ b/migration/colo.c
@@ -232,6 +232,8 @@ static void colo_process_checkpoint(MigrationState *s)
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     int ret;
 
+    failover_init_state();
+
     s->rp_state.from_dst_file = qemu_file_get_return_path(s->to_dst_file);
     if (!s->rp_state.from_dst_file) {
         error_report("Open QEMUFile from_dst_file failed");
@@ -332,6 +334,8 @@ void *colo_process_incoming_thread(void *opaque)
     migrate_set_state(&mis->state, MIGRATION_STATUS_ACTIVE,
                       MIGRATION_STATUS_COLO);
 
+    failover_init_state();
+
     mis->to_src_file = qemu_file_get_return_path(mis->from_src_file);
     if (!mis->to_src_file) {
         error_report("COLO incoming thread: Open QEMUFile to_src_file failed");
diff --git a/migration/trace-events b/migration/trace-events
index f374c8cf27..94134f700b 100644
--- a/migration/trace-events
+++ b/migration/trace-events
@@ -212,3 +212,4 @@ migration_tls_incoming_handshake_complete(void) ""
 colo_vm_state_change(const char *old, const char *new) "Change '%s' => '%s'"
 colo_send_message(const char *msg) "Send '%s' message"
 colo_receive_message(const char *msg) "Receive '%s' message"
+colo_failover_set_state(const char *new_state) "new state %s"
diff --git a/qapi-schema.json b/qapi-schema.json
index a18484115f..8a7b527091 100644
--- a/qapi-schema.json
+++ b/qapi-schema.json
@@ -839,6 +839,24 @@
 { 'enum': 'COLOMode',
   'data': [ 'unknown', 'primary', 'secondary'] }
 
+##
+# @FailoverStatus
+#
+# An enumeration of COLO failover status
+#
+# @none: no failover has ever happened
+#
+# @require: got failover requirement but not handled
+#
+# @active: in the process of doing failover
+#
+# @completed: finish the process of failover
+#
+# Since: 2.8
+##
+{ 'enum': 'FailoverStatus',
+  'data': [ 'none', 'require', 'active', 'completed'] }
+
 ##
 # @x-colo-lost-heartbeat
 #