diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio-mem.c b/hw/virtio/virtio-mem.c
index ae1e81d7ba..08e0e9da1c 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio-mem.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio-mem.c
@@ -956,6 +956,7 @@ static void virtio_mem_device_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     VirtIOMEM *vmem = VIRTIO_MEM(dev);
     uint64_t page_size;
     RAMBlock *rb;
+    Object *obj;
     int ret;
 
     if (!vmem->memdev) {
@@ -1121,7 +1122,28 @@ static void virtio_mem_device_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
         vmstate_register_any(VMSTATE_IF(vmem),
                              &vmstate_virtio_mem_device_early, vmem);
     }
-    qemu_register_resettable(OBJECT(vmem));
+
+    /*
+     * We only want to unplug all memory to start with a clean slate when
+     * it is safe for the guest -- during system resets that call
+     * qemu_devices_reset().
+     *
+     * We'll filter out selected qemu_devices_reset() calls used for other
+     * purposes, like resetting all devices during wakeup from suspend on
+     * x86 based on the reset type passed to qemu_devices_reset().
+     *
+     * Unplugging all memory during simple device resets can result in the VM
+     * unexpectedly losing RAM, corrupting VM state.
+     *
+     * Simple device resets (or resets triggered by getting a parent device
+     * reset) must not change the state of plugged memory blocks. Therefore,
+     * we need a dedicated reset object that only gets called during
+     * qemu_devices_reset().
+     */
+    obj = object_new(TYPE_VIRTIO_MEM_SYSTEM_RESET);
+    vmem->system_reset = VIRTIO_MEM_SYSTEM_RESET(obj);
+    vmem->system_reset->vmem = vmem;
+    qemu_register_resettable(obj);
 
     /*
      * Set ourselves as RamDiscardManager before the plug handler maps the
@@ -1141,7 +1163,10 @@ static void virtio_mem_device_unrealize(DeviceState *dev)
      * found via an address space anymore. Unset ourselves.
      */
     memory_region_set_ram_discard_manager(&vmem->memdev->mr, NULL);
-    qemu_unregister_resettable(OBJECT(vmem));
+
+    qemu_unregister_resettable(OBJECT(vmem->system_reset));
+    object_unref(OBJECT(vmem->system_reset));
+
     if (vmem->early_migration) {
         vmstate_unregister(VMSTATE_IF(vmem), &vmstate_virtio_mem_device_early,
                            vmem);
@@ -1841,38 +1866,12 @@ static void virtio_mem_unplug_request_check(VirtIOMEM *vmem, Error **errp)
     }
 }
 
-static ResettableState *virtio_mem_get_reset_state(Object *obj)
-{
-    VirtIOMEM *vmem = VIRTIO_MEM(obj);
-    return &vmem->reset_state;
-}
-
-static void virtio_mem_system_reset_hold(Object *obj, ResetType type)
-{
-    VirtIOMEM *vmem = VIRTIO_MEM(obj);
-
-    /*
-     * When waking up from standby/suspend-to-ram, do not unplug any memory.
-     */
-    if (type == RESET_TYPE_WAKEUP) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    /*
-     * During usual resets, we will unplug all memory and shrink the usable
-     * region size. This is, however, not possible in all scenarios. Then,
-     * the guest has to deal with this manually (VIRTIO_MEM_REQ_UNPLUG_ALL).
-     */
-    virtio_mem_unplug_all(vmem);
-}
-
 static void virtio_mem_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
     VirtioDeviceClass *vdc = VIRTIO_DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
     VirtIOMEMClass *vmc = VIRTIO_MEM_CLASS(klass);
     RamDiscardManagerClass *rdmc = RAM_DISCARD_MANAGER_CLASS(klass);
-    ResettableClass *rc = RESETTABLE_CLASS(klass);
 
     device_class_set_props(dc, virtio_mem_properties);
     dc->vmsd = &vmstate_virtio_mem;
@@ -1899,9 +1898,6 @@ static void virtio_mem_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     rdmc->replay_discarded = virtio_mem_rdm_replay_discarded;
     rdmc->register_listener = virtio_mem_rdm_register_listener;
     rdmc->unregister_listener = virtio_mem_rdm_unregister_listener;
-
-    rc->get_state = virtio_mem_get_reset_state;
-    rc->phases.hold = virtio_mem_system_reset_hold;
 }
 
 static const TypeInfo virtio_mem_info = {
@@ -1924,3 +1920,48 @@ static void virtio_register_types(void)
 }
 
 type_init(virtio_register_types)
+
+OBJECT_DEFINE_SIMPLE_TYPE_WITH_INTERFACES(VirtioMemSystemReset, virtio_mem_system_reset, VIRTIO_MEM_SYSTEM_RESET, OBJECT, { TYPE_RESETTABLE_INTERFACE }, { })
+
+static void virtio_mem_system_reset_init(Object *obj)
+{
+}
+
+static void virtio_mem_system_reset_finalize(Object *obj)
+{
+}
+
+static ResettableState *virtio_mem_system_reset_get_state(Object *obj)
+{
+    VirtioMemSystemReset *vmem_reset = VIRTIO_MEM_SYSTEM_RESET(obj);
+
+    return &vmem_reset->reset_state;
+}
+
+static void virtio_mem_system_reset_hold(Object *obj, ResetType type)
+{
+    VirtioMemSystemReset *vmem_reset = VIRTIO_MEM_SYSTEM_RESET(obj);
+    VirtIOMEM *vmem = vmem_reset->vmem;
+
+    /*
+     * When waking up from standby/suspend-to-ram, do not unplug any memory.
+     */
+    if (type == RESET_TYPE_WAKEUP) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /*
+     * During usual resets, we will unplug all memory and shrink the usable
+     * region size. This is, however, not possible in all scenarios. Then,
+     * the guest has to deal with this manually (VIRTIO_MEM_REQ_UNPLUG_ALL).
+     */
+    virtio_mem_unplug_all(vmem);
+}
+
+static void virtio_mem_system_reset_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
+{
+    ResettableClass *rc = RESETTABLE_CLASS(klass);
+
+    rc->get_state = virtio_mem_system_reset_get_state;
+    rc->phases.hold = virtio_mem_system_reset_hold;
+}
diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/virtio-mem.h b/include/hw/virtio/virtio-mem.h
index a1af144c28..abde1c4101 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/virtio-mem.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/virtio-mem.h
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
 OBJECT_DECLARE_TYPE(VirtIOMEM, VirtIOMEMClass,
                     VIRTIO_MEM)
 
+#define TYPE_VIRTIO_MEM_SYSTEM_RESET "virtio-mem-system-reset"
+
+OBJECT_DECLARE_SIMPLE_TYPE(VirtioMemSystemReset, VIRTIO_MEM_SYSTEM_RESET)
+
 #define VIRTIO_MEM_MEMDEV_PROP "memdev"
 #define VIRTIO_MEM_NODE_PROP "node"
 #define VIRTIO_MEM_SIZE_PROP "size"
@@ -117,8 +121,14 @@ struct VirtIOMEM {
     /* listeners to notify on plug/unplug activity. */
     QLIST_HEAD(, RamDiscardListener) rdl_list;
 
-    /* State of the resettable container */
+    /* Catch system resets -> qemu_devices_reset() only. */
+    VirtioMemSystemReset *system_reset;
+};
+
+struct VirtioMemSystemReset {
+    Object parent;
     ResettableState reset_state;
+    VirtIOMEM *vmem;
 };
 
 struct VirtIOMEMClass {
