diff --git a/docs/devel/migration/vfio.rst b/docs/devel/migration/vfio.rst
index 8b1f28890a0ba708cc1e49d87b16e17a5d8f7c88..d6cf60890c43f2ebf085940a233f8b85a900b6b3 100644
--- a/docs/devel/migration/vfio.rst
+++ b/docs/devel/migration/vfio.rst
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ VFIO implements the device hooks for the iterative approach as follows:
 * A ``switchover_ack_needed`` function that checks if the VFIO device uses
   "switchover-ack" migration capability when this capability is enabled.
 
+* A ``switchover_start`` function that in the multifd mode starts a thread that
+  reassembles the multifd received data and loads it in-order into the device.
+  In the non-multifd mode this function is a NOP.
+
 * A ``save_state`` function to save the device config space if it is present.
 
 * A ``save_live_complete_precopy`` function that sets the VFIO device in
diff --git a/hw/vfio/migration-multifd.h b/hw/vfio/migration-multifd.h
index 8c6320fcb484ca9f779e14d4f9d814081d2f760e..f0d28fcef2ea737fc550a34ff266a34848bca67c 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/migration-multifd.h
+++ b/hw/vfio/migration-multifd.h
@@ -23,4 +23,6 @@ bool vfio_multifd_transfer_enabled(VFIODevice *vbasedev);
 bool vfio_multifd_load_state_buffer(void *opaque, char *data, size_t data_size,
                                     Error **errp);
 
+int vfio_multifd_switchover_start(VFIODevice *vbasedev);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/hw/vfio/migration-multifd.c b/hw/vfio/migration-multifd.c
index 79df11b7baa991763039b395c34931e796e711b0..2eef27604e4f8f1f4db74d132a4d4bf2906a4cc1 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/migration-multifd.c
+++ b/hw/vfio/migration-multifd.c
@@ -44,8 +44,12 @@ typedef struct VFIOStateBuffer {
 } VFIOStateBuffer;
 
 typedef struct VFIOMultifd {
+    bool load_bufs_thread_running;
+    bool load_bufs_thread_want_exit;
+
     VFIOStateBuffers load_bufs;
     QemuCond load_bufs_buffer_ready_cond;
+    QemuCond load_bufs_thread_finished_cond;
     QemuMutex load_bufs_mutex; /* Lock order: this lock -> BQL */
     uint32_t load_buf_idx;
     uint32_t load_buf_idx_last;
@@ -186,6 +190,178 @@ bool vfio_multifd_load_state_buffer(void *opaque, char *data, size_t data_size,
     return true;
 }
 
+static bool vfio_load_bufs_thread_load_config(VFIODevice *vbasedev,
+                                              Error **errp)
+{
+    error_setg(errp, "not yet there");
+    return false;
+}
+
+static VFIOStateBuffer *vfio_load_state_buffer_get(VFIOMultifd *multifd)
+{
+    VFIOStateBuffer *lb;
+    unsigned int bufs_len;
+
+    bufs_len = vfio_state_buffers_size_get(&multifd->load_bufs);
+    if (multifd->load_buf_idx >= bufs_len) {
+        assert(multifd->load_buf_idx == bufs_len);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    lb = vfio_state_buffers_at(&multifd->load_bufs,
+                               multifd->load_buf_idx);
+    if (!lb->is_present) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    return lb;
+}
+
+static bool vfio_load_state_buffer_write(VFIODevice *vbasedev,
+                                         VFIOStateBuffer *lb,
+                                         Error **errp)
+{
+    VFIOMigration *migration = vbasedev->migration;
+    VFIOMultifd *multifd = migration->multifd;
+    g_autofree char *buf = NULL;
+    char *buf_cur;
+    size_t buf_len;
+
+    if (!lb->len) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    trace_vfio_load_state_device_buffer_load_start(vbasedev->name,
+                                                   multifd->load_buf_idx);
+
+    /* lb might become re-allocated when we drop the lock */
+    buf = g_steal_pointer(&lb->data);
+    buf_cur = buf;
+    buf_len = lb->len;
+    while (buf_len > 0) {
+        ssize_t wr_ret;
+        int errno_save;
+
+        /*
+         * Loading data to the device takes a while,
+         * drop the lock during this process.
+         */
+        qemu_mutex_unlock(&multifd->load_bufs_mutex);
+        wr_ret = write(migration->data_fd, buf_cur, buf_len);
+        errno_save = errno;
+        qemu_mutex_lock(&multifd->load_bufs_mutex);
+
+        if (wr_ret < 0) {
+            error_setg(errp,
+                       "%s: writing state buffer %" PRIu32 " failed: %d",
+                       vbasedev->name, multifd->load_buf_idx, errno_save);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        assert(wr_ret <= buf_len);
+        buf_len -= wr_ret;
+        buf_cur += wr_ret;
+    }
+
+    trace_vfio_load_state_device_buffer_load_end(vbasedev->name,
+                                                 multifd->load_buf_idx);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+static bool vfio_load_bufs_thread_want_exit(VFIOMultifd *multifd,
+                                            bool *should_quit)
+{
+    return multifd->load_bufs_thread_want_exit || qatomic_read(should_quit);
+}
+
+/*
+ * This thread is spawned by vfio_multifd_switchover_start() which gets
+ * called upon encountering the switchover point marker in main migration
+ * stream.
+ *
+ * It exits after either:
+ * * completing loading the remaining device state and device config, OR:
+ * * encountering some error while doing the above, OR:
+ * * being forcefully aborted by the migration core by it setting should_quit
+ *   or by vfio_load_cleanup_load_bufs_thread() setting
+ *   multifd->load_bufs_thread_want_exit.
+ */
+static bool vfio_load_bufs_thread(void *opaque, bool *should_quit, Error **errp)
+{
+    VFIODevice *vbasedev = opaque;
+    VFIOMigration *migration = vbasedev->migration;
+    VFIOMultifd *multifd = migration->multifd;
+    bool ret = false;
+
+    trace_vfio_load_bufs_thread_start(vbasedev->name);
+
+    assert(multifd);
+    QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&multifd->load_bufs_mutex);
+
+    assert(multifd->load_bufs_thread_running);
+
+    while (true) {
+        VFIOStateBuffer *lb;
+
+        /*
+         * Always check cancellation first after the buffer_ready wait below in
+         * case that cond was signalled by vfio_load_cleanup_load_bufs_thread().
+         */
+        if (vfio_load_bufs_thread_want_exit(multifd, should_quit)) {
+            error_setg(errp, "operation cancelled");
+            goto thread_exit;
+        }
+
+        assert(multifd->load_buf_idx <= multifd->load_buf_idx_last);
+
+        lb = vfio_load_state_buffer_get(multifd);
+        if (!lb) {
+            trace_vfio_load_state_device_buffer_starved(vbasedev->name,
+                                                        multifd->load_buf_idx);
+            qemu_cond_wait(&multifd->load_bufs_buffer_ready_cond,
+                           &multifd->load_bufs_mutex);
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if (multifd->load_buf_idx == multifd->load_buf_idx_last) {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        if (multifd->load_buf_idx == 0) {
+            trace_vfio_load_state_device_buffer_start(vbasedev->name);
+        }
+
+        if (!vfio_load_state_buffer_write(vbasedev, lb, errp)) {
+            goto thread_exit;
+        }
+
+        if (multifd->load_buf_idx == multifd->load_buf_idx_last - 1) {
+            trace_vfio_load_state_device_buffer_end(vbasedev->name);
+        }
+
+        multifd->load_buf_idx++;
+    }
+
+    if (!vfio_load_bufs_thread_load_config(vbasedev, errp)) {
+        goto thread_exit;
+    }
+
+    ret = true;
+
+thread_exit:
+    /*
+     * Notify possibly waiting vfio_load_cleanup_load_bufs_thread() that
+     * this thread is exiting.
+     */
+    multifd->load_bufs_thread_running = false;
+    qemu_cond_signal(&multifd->load_bufs_thread_finished_cond);
+
+    trace_vfio_load_bufs_thread_end(vbasedev->name);
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
 static VFIOMultifd *vfio_multifd_new(void)
 {
     VFIOMultifd *multifd = g_new(VFIOMultifd, 1);
@@ -198,11 +374,41 @@ static VFIOMultifd *vfio_multifd_new(void)
     multifd->load_buf_idx_last = UINT32_MAX;
     qemu_cond_init(&multifd->load_bufs_buffer_ready_cond);
 
+    multifd->load_bufs_thread_running = false;
+    multifd->load_bufs_thread_want_exit = false;
+    qemu_cond_init(&multifd->load_bufs_thread_finished_cond);
+
     return multifd;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Terminates vfio_load_bufs_thread by setting
+ * multifd->load_bufs_thread_want_exit and signalling all the conditions
+ * the thread could be blocked on.
+ *
+ * Waits for the thread to signal that it had finished.
+ */
+static void vfio_load_cleanup_load_bufs_thread(VFIOMultifd *multifd)
+{
+    /* The lock order is load_bufs_mutex -> BQL so unlock BQL here first */
+    bql_unlock();
+    WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&multifd->load_bufs_mutex) {
+        while (multifd->load_bufs_thread_running) {
+            multifd->load_bufs_thread_want_exit = true;
+
+            qemu_cond_signal(&multifd->load_bufs_buffer_ready_cond);
+            qemu_cond_wait(&multifd->load_bufs_thread_finished_cond,
+                           &multifd->load_bufs_mutex);
+        }
+    }
+    bql_lock();
+}
+
 static void vfio_multifd_free(VFIOMultifd *multifd)
 {
+    vfio_load_cleanup_load_bufs_thread(multifd);
+
+    qemu_cond_destroy(&multifd->load_bufs_thread_finished_cond);
     vfio_state_buffers_destroy(&multifd->load_bufs);
     qemu_cond_destroy(&multifd->load_bufs_buffer_ready_cond);
     qemu_mutex_destroy(&multifd->load_bufs_mutex);
@@ -244,3 +450,23 @@ bool vfio_multifd_setup(VFIODevice *vbasedev, bool alloc_multifd, Error **errp)
 
     return true;
 }
+
+int vfio_multifd_switchover_start(VFIODevice *vbasedev)
+{
+    VFIOMigration *migration = vbasedev->migration;
+    VFIOMultifd *multifd = migration->multifd;
+
+    assert(multifd);
+
+    /* The lock order is load_bufs_mutex -> BQL so unlock BQL here first */
+    bql_unlock();
+    WITH_QEMU_LOCK_GUARD(&multifd->load_bufs_mutex) {
+        assert(!multifd->load_bufs_thread_running);
+        multifd->load_bufs_thread_running = true;
+    }
+    bql_lock();
+
+    qemu_loadvm_start_load_thread(vfio_load_bufs_thread, vbasedev);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/hw/vfio/migration.c b/hw/vfio/migration.c
index 2cdb92356e0a2afb64109c10536c857b19f7e7c5..815ad8fc93c7155d831838f9ccfcfd1955e588bc 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/migration.c
+++ b/hw/vfio/migration.c
@@ -788,6 +788,17 @@ static bool vfio_switchover_ack_needed(void *opaque)
     return vfio_precopy_supported(vbasedev);
 }
 
+static int vfio_switchover_start(void *opaque)
+{
+    VFIODevice *vbasedev = opaque;
+
+    if (vfio_multifd_transfer_enabled(vbasedev)) {
+        return vfio_multifd_switchover_start(vbasedev);
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static const SaveVMHandlers savevm_vfio_handlers = {
     .save_prepare = vfio_save_prepare,
     .save_setup = vfio_save_setup,
@@ -806,6 +817,7 @@ static const SaveVMHandlers savevm_vfio_handlers = {
      * Multifd support
      */
     .load_state_buffer = vfio_multifd_load_state_buffer,
+    .switchover_start = vfio_switchover_start,
 };
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/hw/vfio/trace-events b/hw/vfio/trace-events
index 404ea079b25c49fe25f4c9b05f0cde4f0536fdd7..d6b7e34faa392890aad34173b34fd8c8c9df5e84 100644
--- a/hw/vfio/trace-events
+++ b/hw/vfio/trace-events
@@ -149,12 +149,19 @@ vfio_display_edid_update(uint32_t prefx, uint32_t prefy) "%ux%u"
 vfio_display_edid_write_error(void) ""
 
 # migration.c
+vfio_load_bufs_thread_start(const char *name) " (%s)"
+vfio_load_bufs_thread_end(const char *name) " (%s)"
 vfio_load_cleanup(const char *name) " (%s)"
 vfio_load_device_config_state_start(const char *name) " (%s)"
 vfio_load_device_config_state_end(const char *name) " (%s)"
 vfio_load_state(const char *name, uint64_t data) " (%s) data 0x%"PRIx64
 vfio_load_state_device_data(const char *name, uint64_t data_size, int ret) " (%s) size %"PRIu64" ret %d"
 vfio_load_state_device_buffer_incoming(const char *name, uint32_t idx) " (%s) idx %"PRIu32
+vfio_load_state_device_buffer_start(const char *name) " (%s)"
+vfio_load_state_device_buffer_starved(const char *name, uint32_t idx) " (%s) idx %"PRIu32
+vfio_load_state_device_buffer_load_start(const char *name, uint32_t idx) " (%s) idx %"PRIu32
+vfio_load_state_device_buffer_load_end(const char *name, uint32_t idx) " (%s) idx %"PRIu32
+vfio_load_state_device_buffer_end(const char *name) " (%s)"
 vfio_migration_realize(const char *name) " (%s)"
 vfio_migration_set_device_state(const char *name, const char *state) " (%s) state %s"
 vfio_migration_set_state(const char *name, const char *new_state, const char *recover_state) " (%s) new state %s, recover state %s"
