diff --git a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
index 43b961c0f6..f42a5ecb25 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/sysemu.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ int qemu_uuid_parse(const char *str, uint8_t *uuid);
 bool runstate_check(RunState state);
 void runstate_set(RunState new_state);
 int runstate_is_running(void);
+bool runstate_needs_reset(void);
 typedef struct vm_change_state_entry VMChangeStateEntry;
 typedef void VMChangeStateHandler(void *opaque, int running, RunState state);
 
diff --git a/qapi-schema.json b/qapi-schema.json
index 5b0fb3bf8a..65be8f4f37 100644
--- a/qapi-schema.json
+++ b/qapi-schema.json
@@ -174,11 +174,14 @@
 # @suspended: guest is suspended (ACPI S3)
 #
 # @watchdog: the watchdog action is configured to pause and has been triggered
+#
+# @guest-panicked: guest has been panicked as a result of guest OS panic
 ##
 { 'enum': 'RunState',
   'data': [ 'debug', 'inmigrate', 'internal-error', 'io-error', 'paused',
             'postmigrate', 'prelaunch', 'finish-migrate', 'restore-vm',
-            'running', 'save-vm', 'shutdown', 'suspended', 'watchdog' ] }
+            'running', 'save-vm', 'shutdown', 'suspended', 'watchdog',
+            'guest-panicked' ] }
 
 ##
 # @SnapshotInfo
diff --git a/qmp.c b/qmp.c
index ed6c7ef3ae..4676993805 100644
--- a/qmp.c
+++ b/qmp.c
@@ -149,8 +149,7 @@ void qmp_cont(Error **errp)
 {
     Error *local_err = NULL;
 
-    if (runstate_check(RUN_STATE_INTERNAL_ERROR) ||
-               runstate_check(RUN_STATE_SHUTDOWN)) {
+    if (runstate_needs_reset()) {
         error_set(errp, QERR_RESET_REQUIRED);
         return;
     } else if (runstate_check(RUN_STATE_SUSPENDED)) {
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 617ff2ca0a..b5a547e7e5 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ static const RunStateTransition runstate_transitions_def[] = {
     { RUN_STATE_RUNNING, RUN_STATE_SAVE_VM },
     { RUN_STATE_RUNNING, RUN_STATE_SHUTDOWN },
     { RUN_STATE_RUNNING, RUN_STATE_WATCHDOG },
+    { RUN_STATE_RUNNING, RUN_STATE_GUEST_PANICKED },
 
     { RUN_STATE_SAVE_VM, RUN_STATE_RUNNING },
 
@@ -608,6 +609,8 @@ 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_MAX, RUN_STATE_MAX },
 };
 
@@ -649,6 +652,13 @@ int runstate_is_running(void)
     return runstate_check(RUN_STATE_RUNNING);
 }
 
+bool runstate_needs_reset(void)
+{
+    return runstate_check(RUN_STATE_INTERNAL_ERROR) ||
+        runstate_check(RUN_STATE_SHUTDOWN) ||
+        runstate_check(RUN_STATE_GUEST_PANICKED);
+}
+
 StatusInfo *qmp_query_status(Error **errp)
 {
     StatusInfo *info = g_malloc0(sizeof(*info));
@@ -1984,8 +1994,7 @@ static bool main_loop_should_exit(void)
         cpu_synchronize_all_states();
         qemu_system_reset(VMRESET_REPORT);
         resume_all_vcpus();
-        if (runstate_check(RUN_STATE_INTERNAL_ERROR) ||
-            runstate_check(RUN_STATE_SHUTDOWN)) {
+        if (runstate_needs_reset()) {
             runstate_set(RUN_STATE_PAUSED);
         }
     }