diff --git a/Documentation/virt/kvm/kvmi.rst b/Documentation/virt/kvm/kvmi.rst
index 5ead29a7b2a7..502ee06d5e77 100644
--- a/Documentation/virt/kvm/kvmi.rst
+++ b/Documentation/virt/kvm/kvmi.rst
@@ -480,12 +480,52 @@ Returns the TSC frequency (in HZ) for the specified vCPU if available
 * -KVM_EINVAL - the selected vCPU is invalid
 * -KVM_EAGAIN - the selected vCPU can't be introspected yet
 
+9. KVMI_VCPU_PAUSE
+------------------
+
+:Architecture: all
+:Versions: >= 1
+:Parameters:
+
+::
+
+	struct kvmi_vcpu_hdr;
+	struct kvmi_vcpu_pause {
+		__u8 wait;
+		__u8 padding1;
+		__u16 padding2;
+		__u32 padding3;
+	};
+
+:Returns:
+
+::
+
+	struct kvmi_error_code;
+
+Kicks the vCPU out of guest.
+
+If `wait` is 1, the command will wait for vCPU to acknowledge the IPI.
+
+The vCPU will handle the pending commands/events and send the
+*KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU* event (one for every successful *KVMI_VCPU_PAUSE*
+command) before returning to guest.
+
+:Errors:
+
+* -KVM_EINVAL - the padding is not zero
+* -KVM_EINVAL - the selected vCPU is invalid
+* -KVM_EAGAIN - the selected vCPU can't be introspected yet
+* -KVM_EBUSY  - the selected vCPU has too many queued
+                *KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU* events
+* -KVM_EPERM  - the *KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU* event is disallowed
+
 Events
 ======
 
 All introspection events (VM or vCPU related) are sent
 using the *KVMI_EVENT* message id. No event will be sent unless
-it is explicitly enabled.
+it is explicitly enabled or requested (eg. *KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU*).
 
 The *KVMI_EVENT_UNHOOK* event doesn't have a reply and share the kvmi_event
 structure, for consistency with the vCPU events.
@@ -544,3 +584,27 @@ the guest (see **Unhooking**) and the introspection has been enabled
 for this event (see **KVMI_VM_CONTROL_EVENTS**). The introspection tool
 has a chance to unhook and close the KVMI channel (signaling that the
 operation can proceed).
+
+2. KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU
+------------------------
+
+:Architectures: all
+:Versions: >= 1
+:Actions: CONTINUE, CRASH
+:Parameters:
+
+::
+
+	struct kvmi_event;
+
+:Returns:
+
+::
+
+	struct kvmi_vcpu_hdr;
+	struct kvmi_event_reply;
+
+This event is sent in response to a *KVMI_VCPU_PAUSE* command.
+Because it has a low priority, it will be sent after any other vCPU
+introspection event and when no other vCPU introspection command is
+queued.
diff --git a/include/linux/kvmi_host.h b/include/linux/kvmi_host.h
index 956b8d5c51e3..fdb8ce6fe6a5 100644
--- a/include/linux/kvmi_host.h
+++ b/include/linux/kvmi_host.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ struct kvm_vcpu_introspection {
 
 	struct list_head job_list;
 	spinlock_t job_lock;
+
+	atomic_t pause_requests;
 };
 
 struct kvm_introspection {
diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/kvmi.h b/include/uapi/linux/kvmi.h
index a3dca420c887..3ded22020bef 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/kvmi.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/kvmi.h
@@ -26,12 +26,14 @@ enum {
 	KVMI_VM_WRITE_PHYSICAL = 7,
 
 	KVMI_VCPU_GET_INFO     = 8,
+	KVMI_VCPU_PAUSE        = 9,
 
 	KVMI_NUM_MESSAGES
 };
 
 enum {
-	KVMI_EVENT_UNHOOK = 0,
+	KVMI_EVENT_UNHOOK     = 0,
+	KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU = 1,
 
 	KVMI_NUM_EVENTS
 };
@@ -107,6 +109,13 @@ struct kvmi_vcpu_hdr {
 	__u32 padding2;
 };
 
+struct kvmi_vcpu_pause {
+	__u8 wait;
+	__u8 padding1;
+	__u16 padding2;
+	__u32 padding3;
+};
+
 struct kvmi_event {
 	__u16 size;
 	__u16 vcpu;
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/kvmi_test.c b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/kvmi_test.c
index 107661fbe52f..0df890b4b440 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/kvmi_test.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/kvm/x86_64/kvmi_test.c
@@ -691,6 +691,17 @@ static int do_vcpu_command(struct kvm_vm *vm, int cmd_id,
 	return r;
 }
 
+static int __do_vcpu0_command(int cmd_id, struct kvmi_msg_hdr *req,
+			      size_t req_size, void *rpl, size_t rpl_size)
+{
+	struct kvmi_vcpu_hdr *vcpu_hdr = (struct kvmi_vcpu_hdr *)(req + 1);
+
+	vcpu_hdr->vcpu = 0;
+
+	send_message(cmd_id, req, req_size);
+	return receive_cmd_reply(req, rpl, rpl_size);
+}
+
 static int do_vcpu0_command(struct kvm_vm *vm, int cmd_id,
 			    struct kvmi_msg_hdr *req, size_t req_size,
 			    void *rpl, size_t rpl_size)
@@ -736,6 +747,47 @@ static void test_cmd_vcpu_get_info(struct kvm_vm *vm)
 		-r, kvm_strerror(-r));
 }
 
+static void cmd_vcpu_pause(__u8 wait, __u8 padding, int expected_err)
+{
+	struct {
+		struct kvmi_msg_hdr hdr;
+		struct kvmi_vcpu_hdr vcpu_hdr;
+		struct kvmi_vcpu_pause cmd;
+	} req = {};
+	int r;
+
+	req.cmd.wait = wait;
+	req.cmd.padding1 = padding;
+	req.cmd.padding2 = padding;
+	req.cmd.padding3 = padding;
+
+	r = __do_vcpu0_command(KVMI_VCPU_PAUSE, &req.hdr, sizeof(req), NULL, 0);
+	TEST_ASSERT(r == expected_err,
+		"KVMI_VCPU_PAUSE failed, error %d (%s), expected error %d\n",
+		-r, kvm_strerror(-r), expected_err);
+}
+
+static void pause_vcpu(void)
+{
+	cmd_vcpu_pause(1, 0, 0);
+}
+
+static void test_pause(struct kvm_vm *vm)
+{
+	__u8 no_wait = 0, wait = 1, wait_inval = 2;
+	__u8 padding = 1, no_padding = 0;
+
+	pause_vcpu();
+
+	cmd_vcpu_pause(wait, no_padding, 0);
+	cmd_vcpu_pause(wait_inval, no_padding, -KVM_EINVAL);
+	cmd_vcpu_pause(no_wait, padding, -KVM_EINVAL);
+
+	disallow_event(vm, KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU);
+	cmd_vcpu_pause(no_wait, no_padding, -KVM_EPERM);
+	allow_event(vm, KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU);
+}
+
 static void test_introspection(struct kvm_vm *vm)
 {
 	srandom(time(0));
@@ -751,6 +803,7 @@ static void test_introspection(struct kvm_vm *vm)
 	test_cmd_vm_control_events(vm);
 	test_memory_access(vm);
 	test_cmd_vcpu_get_info(vm);
+	test_pause(vm);
 
 	unhook_introspection(vm);
 }
diff --git a/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi.c b/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi.c
index a9d406f276f5..a704e05b3184 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi.c
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #define KVMI_NUM_COMMANDS KVMI_NUM_MESSAGES
 #define KVMI_MSG_SIZE_ALLOC (sizeof(struct kvmi_msg_hdr) + KVMI_MSG_SIZE)
 
+#define MAX_PAUSE_REQUESTS 1001
+
 static DECLARE_BITMAP(Kvmi_always_allowed_commands, KVMI_NUM_COMMANDS);
 static DECLARE_BITMAP(Kvmi_known_events, KVMI_NUM_EVENTS);
 static DECLARE_BITMAP(Kvmi_known_vm_events, KVMI_NUM_EVENTS);
@@ -90,6 +92,7 @@ static void setup_known_events(void)
 	set_bit(KVMI_EVENT_UNHOOK, Kvmi_known_vm_events);
 
 	bitmap_zero(Kvmi_known_vcpu_events, KVMI_NUM_EVENTS);
+	set_bit(KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU, Kvmi_known_vcpu_events);
 
 	bitmap_or(Kvmi_known_events, Kvmi_known_vm_events,
 		  Kvmi_known_vcpu_events, KVMI_NUM_EVENTS);
@@ -113,10 +116,14 @@ void kvmi_uninit(void)
 	kvmi_cache_destroy();
 }
 
-static void kvmi_make_request(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
+static void kvmi_make_request(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, bool wait)
 {
 	kvm_make_request(KVM_REQ_INTROSPECTION, vcpu);
-	kvm_vcpu_kick(vcpu);
+
+	if (wait)
+		kvm_vcpu_kick_and_wait(vcpu);
+	else
+		kvm_vcpu_kick(vcpu);
 }
 
 static int __kvmi_add_job(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
@@ -151,7 +158,7 @@ int kvmi_add_job(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
 	err = __kvmi_add_job(vcpu, fct, ctx, free_fct);
 
 	if (!err)
-		kvmi_make_request(vcpu);
+		kvmi_make_request(vcpu, false);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -346,6 +353,22 @@ static int __kvmi_hook(struct kvm *kvm,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void kvmi_job_release_vcpu(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, void *ctx)
+{
+	struct kvm_vcpu_introspection *vcpui = VCPUI(vcpu);
+
+	atomic_set(&vcpui->pause_requests, 0);
+}
+
+static void kvmi_release_vcpus(struct kvm *kvm)
+{
+	struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu;
+	int i;
+
+	kvm_for_each_vcpu(i, vcpu, kvm)
+		kvmi_add_job(vcpu, kvmi_job_release_vcpu, NULL, NULL);
+}
+
 static int kvmi_recv_thread(void *arg)
 {
 	struct kvm_introspection *kvmi = arg;
@@ -359,6 +382,8 @@ static int kvmi_recv_thread(void *arg)
 	 */
 	kvmi_sock_shutdown(kvmi);
 
+	kvmi_release_vcpus(kvmi->kvm);
+
 	kvmi_put(kvmi->kvm);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -718,15 +743,45 @@ void kvmi_run_jobs(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 	}
 }
 
+static void kvmi_vcpu_pause_event(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
+{
+	struct kvm_vcpu_introspection *vcpui = VCPUI(vcpu);
+
+	atomic_dec(&vcpui->pause_requests);
+	/* to be implemented */
+}
+
 void kvmi_handle_requests(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu)
 {
+	struct kvm_vcpu_introspection *vcpui = VCPUI(vcpu);
 	struct kvm_introspection *kvmi;
 
 	kvmi = kvmi_get(vcpu->kvm);
 	if (!kvmi)
 		return;
 
-	kvmi_run_jobs(vcpu);
+	for (;;) {
+		kvmi_run_jobs(vcpu);
+
+		if (atomic_read(&vcpui->pause_requests))
+			kvmi_vcpu_pause_event(vcpu);
+		else
+			break;
+	}
 
 	kvmi_put(vcpu->kvm);
 }
+
+int kvmi_cmd_vcpu_pause(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, bool wait)
+{
+	struct kvm_vcpu_introspection *vcpui = VCPUI(vcpu);
+
+	if (atomic_read(&vcpui->pause_requests) > MAX_PAUSE_REQUESTS)
+		return -KVM_EBUSY;
+
+	atomic_inc(&vcpui->pause_requests);
+
+	kvmi_make_request(vcpu, wait);
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi_int.h b/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi_int.h
index 42803b6d0e81..cb99cb3db396 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi_int.h
+++ b/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi_int.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ int kvmi_cmd_read_physical(struct kvm *kvm, u64 gpa, size_t size,
 			   const struct kvmi_msg_hdr *ctx);
 int kvmi_cmd_write_physical(struct kvm *kvm, u64 gpa, size_t size,
 			    const void *buf);
+int kvmi_cmd_vcpu_pause(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, bool wait);
 
 /* arch */
 int kvmi_arch_cmd_vcpu_get_info(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu,
diff --git a/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi_msg.c b/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi_msg.c
index ee25ba44fb0b..1adec838cddd 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi_msg.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/introspection/kvmi_msg.c
@@ -264,12 +264,54 @@ static int handle_vm_write_physical(struct kvm_introspection *kvmi,
 	return kvmi_msg_vm_reply(kvmi, msg, ec, NULL, 0);
 }
 
+/*
+ * This vCPU command is handled by the receiving thread instead of
+ * the vCPU thread in order to make it easier for the introspection tool
+ * to implement a 'pause VM' command by sending a 'pause vCPU' command
+ * for every vCPU. It can consider that the VM has stopped
+ * once it receives the reply for the last 'pause vCPU' command.
+ */
+static int handle_vcpu_pause(struct kvm_introspection *kvmi,
+			     const struct kvmi_msg_hdr *msg,
+			     const void *_req)
+{
+	const struct kvmi_vcpu_hdr *vcpu_hdr = _req;
+	const struct kvmi_vcpu_pause *vcpu_req;
+	struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu = NULL;
+	int err;
+
+	vcpu_req = (const struct kvmi_vcpu_pause *) (vcpu_hdr + 1);
+
+	if (invalid_vcpu_hdr(vcpu_hdr) || vcpu_req->wait > 1) {
+		err = -KVM_EINVAL;
+		goto reply;
+	}
+
+	if (vcpu_req->padding1 || vcpu_req->padding2 || vcpu_req->padding3) {
+		err = -KVM_EINVAL;
+		goto reply;
+	}
+
+	if (!is_event_allowed(kvmi, KVMI_EVENT_PAUSE_VCPU)) {
+		err = -KVM_EPERM;
+		goto reply;
+	}
+
+	err = kvmi_get_vcpu(kvmi, vcpu_hdr->vcpu, &vcpu);
+	if (!err)
+		err = kvmi_cmd_vcpu_pause(vcpu, vcpu_req->wait == 1);
+
+reply:
+	return kvmi_msg_vm_reply(kvmi, msg, err, NULL, 0);
+}
+
 /*
  * These commands are executed by the receiving thread.
  */
 static int(*const msg_vm[])(struct kvm_introspection *,
 			    const struct kvmi_msg_hdr *, const void *) = {
 	[KVMI_GET_VERSION]       = handle_get_version,
+	[KVMI_VCPU_PAUSE]        = handle_vcpu_pause,
 	[KVMI_VM_CHECK_COMMAND]  = handle_vm_check_command,
 	[KVMI_VM_CHECK_EVENT]    = handle_vm_check_event,
 	[KVMI_VM_CONTROL_EVENTS] = handle_vm_control_events,
