diff --git a/hw/qxl.c b/hw/qxl.c
index fe4212b..117f7c8 100644
--- a/hw/qxl.c
+++ b/hw/qxl.c
@@ -125,6 +125,27 @@ static void qxl_reset_memslots(PCIQXLDevice *d);
 static void qxl_reset_surfaces(PCIQXLDevice *d);
 static void qxl_ring_set_dirty(PCIQXLDevice *qxl);
 
+/* qemu-kvm locking ... */
+void qxl_unlock_iothread(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd)
+{
+    if (cpu_single_env) {
+        assert(ssd->env == NULL);
+        ssd->env = cpu_single_env;
+        cpu_single_env = NULL;
+    }
+    qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
+}
+
+void qxl_lock_iothread(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd)
+{
+    qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
+    if (ssd->env) {
+        assert(cpu_single_env == NULL);
+        cpu_single_env = ssd->env;
+        ssd->env = NULL;
+    }
+}
+
 static inline uint32_t msb_mask(uint32_t val)
 {
     uint32_t mask;
@@ -662,10 +683,10 @@ static void qxl_hard_reset(PCIQXLDevice *d, int loadvm)
     dprint(d, 1, "%s: start%s\n", __FUNCTION__,
            loadvm ? " (loadvm)" : "");
 
-    qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
+    qxl_unlock_iothread(&d->ssd);
     d->ssd.worker->reset_cursor(d->ssd.worker);
     d->ssd.worker->reset_image_cache(d->ssd.worker);
-    qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
+    qxl_lock_iothread(&d->ssd);
     qxl_reset_surfaces(d);
     qxl_reset_memslots(d);
 
@@ -795,9 +816,9 @@ static void qxl_reset_surfaces(PCIQXLDevice *d)
 {
     dprint(d, 1, "%s:\n", __FUNCTION__);
     d->mode = QXL_MODE_UNDEFINED;
-    qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
+    qxl_unlock_iothread(&d->ssd);
     d->ssd.worker->destroy_surfaces(d->ssd.worker);
-    qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
+    qxl_lock_iothread(&d->ssd);
     memset(&d->guest_surfaces.cmds, 0, sizeof(d->guest_surfaces.cmds));
 }
 
@@ -866,9 +887,9 @@ static void qxl_destroy_primary(PCIQXLDevice *d)
     dprint(d, 1, "%s\n", __FUNCTION__);
 
     d->mode = QXL_MODE_UNDEFINED;
-    qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
+    qxl_unlock_iothread(&d->ssd);
     d->ssd.worker->destroy_primary_surface(d->ssd.worker, 0);
-    qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
+    qxl_lock_iothread(&d->ssd);
 }
 
 static void qxl_set_mode(PCIQXLDevice *d, int modenr, int loadvm)
@@ -938,10 +959,10 @@ static void ioport_write(void *opaque, uint32_t addr, uint32_t val)
     case QXL_IO_UPDATE_AREA:
     {
         QXLRect update = d->ram->update_area;
-        qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
+        qxl_unlock_iothread(&d->ssd);
         d->ssd.worker->update_area(d->ssd.worker, d->ram->update_surface,
                                    &update, NULL, 0, 0);
-        qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
+        qxl_lock_iothread(&d->ssd);
         break;
     }
     case QXL_IO_NOTIFY_CMD:
diff --git a/ui/spice-display.c b/ui/spice-display.c
index 020b423..defe652 100644
--- a/ui/spice-display.c
+++ b/ui/spice-display.c
@@ -186,18 +186,18 @@ void qemu_spice_create_host_primary(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd)
     surface.mem        = (intptr_t)ssd->buf;
     surface.group_id   = MEMSLOT_GROUP_HOST;
 
-    qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
+    qxl_unlock_iothread(ssd);
     ssd->worker->create_primary_surface(ssd->worker, 0, &surface);
-    qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
+    qxl_lock_iothread(ssd);
 }
 
 void qemu_spice_destroy_host_primary(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd)
 {
     dprint(1, "%s:\n", __FUNCTION__);
 
-    qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
+    qxl_unlock_iothread(ssd);
     ssd->worker->destroy_primary_surface(ssd->worker, 0);
-    qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
+    qxl_lock_iothread(ssd);
 }
 
 void qemu_spice_vm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
@@ -207,9 +207,9 @@ void qemu_spice_vm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
     if (running) {
         ssd->worker->start(ssd->worker);
     } else {
-        qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
+        qxl_unlock_iothread(ssd);
         ssd->worker->stop(ssd->worker);
-        qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
+        qxl_lock_iothread(ssd);
     }
     ssd->running = running;
 }
diff --git a/ui/spice-display.h b/ui/spice-display.h
index aef0464..df74828 100644
--- a/ui/spice-display.h
+++ b/ui/spice-display.h
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ typedef struct SimpleSpiceDisplay {
     QXLRect dirty;
     int notify;
     int running;
+
+    /* qemu-kvm locking ... */
+    void *env;
 } SimpleSpiceDisplay;
 
 typedef struct SimpleSpiceUpdate {
@@ -52,6 +55,9 @@ typedef struct SimpleSpiceUpdate {
     uint8_t *bitmap;
 } SimpleSpiceUpdate;
 
+void qxl_unlock_iothread(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd);
+void qxl_lock_iothread(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd);
+
 int qemu_spice_rect_is_empty(const QXLRect* r);
 void qemu_spice_rect_union(QXLRect *dest, const QXLRect *r);
 
