diff --git a/gdbstub.c b/gdbstub.c
index 0e5a3f5bf9..e8ab0b2992 100644
--- a/gdbstub.c
+++ b/gdbstub.c
@@ -368,9 +368,6 @@ static inline void gdb_continue(GDBState *s)
 #ifdef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
     s->running_state = 1;
 #else
-    if (runstate_check(RUN_STATE_GUEST_PANICKED)) {
-        runstate_set(RUN_STATE_DEBUG);
-    }
     if (!runstate_needs_reset()) {
         vm_start();
     }
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index efbff6512a..4ad15b808c 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -638,9 +638,8 @@ static const RunStateTransition runstate_transitions_def[] = {
     { RUN_STATE_WATCHDOG, RUN_STATE_RUNNING },
     { RUN_STATE_WATCHDOG, RUN_STATE_FINISH_MIGRATE },
 
-    { RUN_STATE_GUEST_PANICKED, RUN_STATE_PAUSED },
+    { RUN_STATE_GUEST_PANICKED, RUN_STATE_RUNNING },
     { RUN_STATE_GUEST_PANICKED, RUN_STATE_FINISH_MIGRATE },
-    { RUN_STATE_GUEST_PANICKED, RUN_STATE_DEBUG },
 
     { RUN_STATE_MAX, RUN_STATE_MAX },
 };
@@ -686,8 +685,7 @@ int runstate_is_running(void)
 bool runstate_needs_reset(void)
 {
     return runstate_check(RUN_STATE_INTERNAL_ERROR) ||
-        runstate_check(RUN_STATE_SHUTDOWN) ||
-        runstate_check(RUN_STATE_GUEST_PANICKED);
+        runstate_check(RUN_STATE_SHUTDOWN);
 }
 
 StatusInfo *qmp_query_status(Error **errp)