diff --git a/include/block/block-io.h b/include/block/block-io.h
index b099d7db45..054e964c9b 100644
--- a/include/block/block-io.h
+++ b/include/block/block-io.h
@@ -237,21 +237,6 @@ int coroutine_fn bdrv_co_copy_range(BdrvChild *src, int64_t src_offset,
                                     int64_t bytes, BdrvRequestFlags read_flags,
                                     BdrvRequestFlags write_flags);
 
-/**
- * bdrv_drained_end_no_poll:
- *
- * Same as bdrv_drained_end(), but do not poll for the subgraph to
- * actually become unquiesced.  Therefore, no graph changes will occur
- * with this function.
- *
- * *drained_end_counter is incremented for every background operation
- * that is scheduled, and will be decremented for every operation once
- * it settles.  The caller must poll until it reaches 0.  The counter
- * should be accessed using atomic operations only.
- */
-void bdrv_drained_end_no_poll(BlockDriverState *bs, int *drained_end_counter);
-
-
 /*
  * "I/O or GS" API functions. These functions can run without
  * the BQL, but only in one specific iothread/main loop.
@@ -311,9 +296,6 @@ void bdrv_parent_drained_begin_single(BdrvChild *c, bool poll);
  * bdrv_parent_drained_end_single:
  *
  * End a quiesced section for the parent of @c.
- *
- * This polls @bs's AioContext until all scheduled sub-drained_ends
- * have settled, which may result in graph changes.
  */
 void bdrv_parent_drained_end_single(BdrvChild *c);
 
@@ -361,12 +343,6 @@ void bdrv_subtree_drained_begin(BlockDriverState *bs);
  * bdrv_drained_end:
  *
  * End a quiescent section started by bdrv_drained_begin().
- *
- * This polls @bs's AioContext until all scheduled sub-drained_ends
- * have settled.  On one hand, that may result in graph changes.  On
- * the other, this requires that the caller either runs in the main
- * loop; or that all involved nodes (@bs and all of its parents) are
- * in the caller's AioContext.
  */
 void bdrv_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs);
 
diff --git a/include/block/block_int-common.h b/include/block/block_int-common.h
index 40d646d1ed..2b97576f6d 100644
--- a/include/block/block_int-common.h
+++ b/include/block/block_int-common.h
@@ -939,15 +939,11 @@ struct BdrvChildClass {
      * These functions must not change the graph (and therefore also must not
      * call aio_poll(), which could change the graph indirectly).
      *
-     * If drained_end() schedules background operations, it must atomically
-     * increment *drained_end_counter for each such operation and atomically
-     * decrement it once the operation has settled.
-     *
      * Note that this can be nested. If drained_begin() was called twice, new
      * I/O is allowed only after drained_end() was called twice, too.
      */
     void (*drained_begin)(BdrvChild *child);
-    void (*drained_end)(BdrvChild *child, int *drained_end_counter);
+    void (*drained_end)(BdrvChild *child);
 
     /*
      * Returns whether the parent has pending requests for the child. This
diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index cbff7acd97..214e5055a5 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -1237,11 +1237,10 @@ static bool bdrv_child_cb_drained_poll(BdrvChild *child)
     return bdrv_drain_poll(bs, false, NULL, false);
 }
 
-static void bdrv_child_cb_drained_end(BdrvChild *child,
-                                      int *drained_end_counter)
+static void bdrv_child_cb_drained_end(BdrvChild *child)
 {
     BlockDriverState *bs = child->opaque;
-    bdrv_drained_end_no_poll(bs, drained_end_counter);
+    bdrv_drained_end(bs);
 }
 
 static int bdrv_child_cb_inactivate(BdrvChild *child)
diff --git a/block/block-backend.c b/block/block-backend.c
index b48c91f4e1..742efa7955 100644
--- a/block/block-backend.c
+++ b/block/block-backend.c
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ static void blk_root_inherit_options(BdrvChildRole role, bool parent_is_format,
 }
 static void blk_root_drained_begin(BdrvChild *child);
 static bool blk_root_drained_poll(BdrvChild *child);
-static void blk_root_drained_end(BdrvChild *child, int *drained_end_counter);
+static void blk_root_drained_end(BdrvChild *child);
 
 static void blk_root_change_media(BdrvChild *child, bool load);
 static void blk_root_resize(BdrvChild *child);
@@ -2556,7 +2556,7 @@ static bool blk_root_drained_poll(BdrvChild *child)
     return busy || !!blk->in_flight;
 }
 
-static void blk_root_drained_end(BdrvChild *child, int *drained_end_counter)
+static void blk_root_drained_end(BdrvChild *child)
 {
     BlockBackend *blk = child->opaque;
     assert(blk->quiesce_counter);
diff --git a/block/io.c b/block/io.c
index c2ed4b2af9..f4ca62b034 100644
--- a/block/io.c
+++ b/block/io.c
@@ -58,28 +58,19 @@ static void bdrv_parent_drained_begin(BlockDriverState *bs, BdrvChild *ignore,
     }
 }
 
-static void bdrv_parent_drained_end_single_no_poll(BdrvChild *c,
-                                                   int *drained_end_counter)
+void bdrv_parent_drained_end_single(BdrvChild *c)
 {
+    IO_OR_GS_CODE();
+
     assert(c->parent_quiesce_counter > 0);
     c->parent_quiesce_counter--;
     if (c->klass->drained_end) {
-        c->klass->drained_end(c, drained_end_counter);
+        c->klass->drained_end(c);
     }
 }
 
-void bdrv_parent_drained_end_single(BdrvChild *c)
-{
-    int drained_end_counter = 0;
-    AioContext *ctx = bdrv_child_get_parent_aio_context(c);
-    IO_OR_GS_CODE();
-    bdrv_parent_drained_end_single_no_poll(c, &drained_end_counter);
-    AIO_WAIT_WHILE(ctx, qatomic_read(&drained_end_counter) > 0);
-}
-
 static void bdrv_parent_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs, BdrvChild *ignore,
-                                    bool ignore_bds_parents,
-                                    int *drained_end_counter)
+                                    bool ignore_bds_parents)
 {
     BdrvChild *c;
 
@@ -87,7 +78,7 @@ static void bdrv_parent_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs, BdrvChild *ignore,
         if (c == ignore || (ignore_bds_parents && c->klass->parent_is_bds)) {
             continue;
         }
-        bdrv_parent_drained_end_single_no_poll(c, drained_end_counter);
+        bdrv_parent_drained_end_single(c);
     }
 }
 
@@ -249,12 +240,10 @@ typedef struct {
     bool poll;
     BdrvChild *parent;
     bool ignore_bds_parents;
-    int *drained_end_counter;
 } BdrvCoDrainData;
 
 /* Recursively call BlockDriver.bdrv_drain_begin/end callbacks */
-static void bdrv_drain_invoke(BlockDriverState *bs, bool begin,
-                              int *drained_end_counter)
+static void bdrv_drain_invoke(BlockDriverState *bs, bool begin)
 {
     if (!bs->drv || (begin && !bs->drv->bdrv_drain_begin) ||
             (!begin && !bs->drv->bdrv_drain_end)) {
@@ -305,8 +294,7 @@ static void bdrv_do_drained_begin(BlockDriverState *bs, bool recursive,
                                   BdrvChild *parent, bool ignore_bds_parents,
                                   bool poll);
 static void bdrv_do_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs, bool recursive,
-                                BdrvChild *parent, bool ignore_bds_parents,
-                                int *drained_end_counter);
+                                BdrvChild *parent, bool ignore_bds_parents);
 
 static void bdrv_co_drain_bh_cb(void *opaque)
 {
@@ -319,14 +307,12 @@ static void bdrv_co_drain_bh_cb(void *opaque)
         aio_context_acquire(ctx);
         bdrv_dec_in_flight(bs);
         if (data->begin) {
-            assert(!data->drained_end_counter);
             bdrv_do_drained_begin(bs, data->recursive, data->parent,
                                   data->ignore_bds_parents, data->poll);
         } else {
             assert(!data->poll);
             bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, data->recursive, data->parent,
-                                data->ignore_bds_parents,
-                                data->drained_end_counter);
+                                data->ignore_bds_parents);
         }
         aio_context_release(ctx);
     } else {
@@ -342,8 +328,7 @@ static void coroutine_fn bdrv_co_yield_to_drain(BlockDriverState *bs,
                                                 bool begin, bool recursive,
                                                 BdrvChild *parent,
                                                 bool ignore_bds_parents,
-                                                bool poll,
-                                                int *drained_end_counter)
+                                                bool poll)
 {
     BdrvCoDrainData data;
     Coroutine *self = qemu_coroutine_self();
@@ -363,7 +348,6 @@ static void coroutine_fn bdrv_co_yield_to_drain(BlockDriverState *bs,
         .parent = parent,
         .ignore_bds_parents = ignore_bds_parents,
         .poll = poll,
-        .drained_end_counter = drained_end_counter,
     };
 
     if (bs) {
@@ -406,7 +390,7 @@ void bdrv_do_drained_begin_quiesce(BlockDriverState *bs,
     }
 
     bdrv_parent_drained_begin(bs, parent, ignore_bds_parents);
-    bdrv_drain_invoke(bs, true, NULL);
+    bdrv_drain_invoke(bs, true);
 }
 
 static void bdrv_do_drained_begin(BlockDriverState *bs, bool recursive,
@@ -417,7 +401,7 @@ static void bdrv_do_drained_begin(BlockDriverState *bs, bool recursive,
 
     if (qemu_in_coroutine()) {
         bdrv_co_yield_to_drain(bs, true, recursive, parent, ignore_bds_parents,
-                               poll, NULL);
+                               poll);
         return;
     }
 
@@ -461,38 +445,24 @@ void bdrv_subtree_drained_begin(BlockDriverState *bs)
 
 /**
  * This function does not poll, nor must any of its recursively called
- * functions.  The *drained_end_counter pointee will be incremented
- * once for every background operation scheduled, and decremented once
- * the operation settles.  Therefore, the pointer must remain valid
- * until the pointee reaches 0.  That implies that whoever sets up the
- * pointee has to poll until it is 0.
- *
- * We use atomic operations to access *drained_end_counter, because
- * (1) when called from bdrv_set_aio_context_ignore(), the subgraph of
- *     @bs may contain nodes in different AioContexts,
- * (2) bdrv_drain_all_end() uses the same counter for all nodes,
- *     regardless of which AioContext they are in.
+ * functions.
  */
 static void bdrv_do_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs, bool recursive,
-                                BdrvChild *parent, bool ignore_bds_parents,
-                                int *drained_end_counter)
+                                BdrvChild *parent, bool ignore_bds_parents)
 {
     BdrvChild *child;
     int old_quiesce_counter;
 
-    assert(drained_end_counter != NULL);
-
     if (qemu_in_coroutine()) {
         bdrv_co_yield_to_drain(bs, false, recursive, parent, ignore_bds_parents,
-                               false, drained_end_counter);
+                               false);
         return;
     }
     assert(bs->quiesce_counter > 0);
 
     /* Re-enable things in child-to-parent order */
-    bdrv_drain_invoke(bs, false, drained_end_counter);
-    bdrv_parent_drained_end(bs, parent, ignore_bds_parents,
-                            drained_end_counter);
+    bdrv_drain_invoke(bs, false);
+    bdrv_parent_drained_end(bs, parent, ignore_bds_parents);
 
     old_quiesce_counter = qatomic_fetch_dec(&bs->quiesce_counter);
     if (old_quiesce_counter == 1) {
@@ -503,32 +473,21 @@ static void bdrv_do_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs, bool recursive,
         assert(!ignore_bds_parents);
         bs->recursive_quiesce_counter--;
         QLIST_FOREACH(child, &bs->children, next) {
-            bdrv_do_drained_end(child->bs, true, child, ignore_bds_parents,
-                                drained_end_counter);
+            bdrv_do_drained_end(child->bs, true, child, ignore_bds_parents);
         }
     }
 }
 
 void bdrv_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs)
 {
-    int drained_end_counter = 0;
     IO_OR_GS_CODE();
-    bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, false, NULL, false, &drained_end_counter);
-    BDRV_POLL_WHILE(bs, qatomic_read(&drained_end_counter) > 0);
-}
-
-void bdrv_drained_end_no_poll(BlockDriverState *bs, int *drained_end_counter)
-{
-    IO_CODE();
-    bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, false, NULL, false, drained_end_counter);
+    bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, false, NULL, false);
 }
 
 void bdrv_subtree_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs)
 {
-    int drained_end_counter = 0;
     IO_OR_GS_CODE();
-    bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, true, NULL, false, &drained_end_counter);
-    BDRV_POLL_WHILE(bs, qatomic_read(&drained_end_counter) > 0);
+    bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, true, NULL, false);
 }
 
 void bdrv_apply_subtree_drain(BdrvChild *child, BlockDriverState *new_parent)
@@ -543,16 +502,12 @@ void bdrv_apply_subtree_drain(BdrvChild *child, BlockDriverState *new_parent)
 
 void bdrv_unapply_subtree_drain(BdrvChild *child, BlockDriverState *old_parent)
 {
-    int drained_end_counter = 0;
     int i;
     IO_OR_GS_CODE();
 
     for (i = 0; i < old_parent->recursive_quiesce_counter; i++) {
-        bdrv_do_drained_end(child->bs, true, child, false,
-                            &drained_end_counter);
+        bdrv_do_drained_end(child->bs, true, child, false);
     }
-
-    BDRV_POLL_WHILE(child->bs, qatomic_read(&drained_end_counter) > 0);
 }
 
 void bdrv_drain(BlockDriverState *bs)
@@ -610,7 +565,7 @@ void bdrv_drain_all_begin(void)
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
 
     if (qemu_in_coroutine()) {
-        bdrv_co_yield_to_drain(NULL, true, false, NULL, true, true, NULL);
+        bdrv_co_yield_to_drain(NULL, true, false, NULL, true, true);
         return;
     }
 
@@ -649,22 +604,19 @@ void bdrv_drain_all_begin(void)
 
 void bdrv_drain_all_end_quiesce(BlockDriverState *bs)
 {
-    int drained_end_counter = 0;
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
 
     g_assert(bs->quiesce_counter > 0);
     g_assert(!bs->refcnt);
 
     while (bs->quiesce_counter) {
-        bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, false, NULL, true, &drained_end_counter);
+        bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, false, NULL, true);
     }
-    BDRV_POLL_WHILE(bs, qatomic_read(&drained_end_counter) > 0);
 }
 
 void bdrv_drain_all_end(void)
 {
     BlockDriverState *bs = NULL;
-    int drained_end_counter = 0;
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
 
     /*
@@ -680,13 +632,11 @@ void bdrv_drain_all_end(void)
         AioContext *aio_context = bdrv_get_aio_context(bs);
 
         aio_context_acquire(aio_context);
-        bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, false, NULL, true, &drained_end_counter);
+        bdrv_do_drained_end(bs, false, NULL, true);
         aio_context_release(aio_context);
     }
 
     assert(qemu_get_current_aio_context() == qemu_get_aio_context());
-    AIO_WAIT_WHILE(NULL, qatomic_read(&drained_end_counter) > 0);
-
     assert(bdrv_drain_all_count > 0);
     bdrv_drain_all_count--;
 }
diff --git a/blockjob.c b/blockjob.c
index f51d4e18f3..0ab721e139 100644
--- a/blockjob.c
+++ b/blockjob.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ static bool child_job_drained_poll(BdrvChild *c)
     }
 }
 
-static void child_job_drained_end(BdrvChild *c, int *drained_end_counter)
+static void child_job_drained_end(BdrvChild *c)
 {
     BlockJob *job = c->opaque;
     job_resume(&job->job);
