diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl.c b/tools/libxl/libxl.c
index bb6a689..6d4b5b4 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl.c
@@ -2084,6 +2084,9 @@ void libxl__device_vtpm_add(libxl__egc *egc, uint32_t domid,
         if (rc) goto out;
 
         DEVICE_ADD(vtpm, vtpms, domid, &vtpm_saved, COMPARE_DEVID, &d_config);
+
+        rc = libxl__dm_check_start(gc, &d_config, domid);
+        if (rc) goto out;
     }
 
     for (;;) {
@@ -2388,6 +2391,9 @@ static void device_disk_add(libxl__egc *egc, uint32_t domid,
         if (rc) goto out;
 
         DEVICE_ADD(disk, disks, domid, &disk_saved, COMPARE_DISK, &d_config);
+
+        rc = libxl__dm_check_start(gc, &d_config, domid);
+        if (rc) goto out;
     }
 
     for (;;) {
@@ -2928,6 +2934,9 @@ int libxl_cdrom_insert(libxl_ctx *ctx, uint32_t domid, libxl_device_disk *disk,
 
     DEVICE_ADD(disk, disks, domid, &disk_saved, COMPARE_DISK, &d_config);
 
+    rc = libxl__dm_check_start(gc, &d_config, domid);
+    if (rc) goto out;
+
     if (dm_ver == LIBXL_DEVICE_MODEL_VERSION_QEMU_XEN) {
         rc = libxl__qmp_insert_cdrom(gc, domid, disk);
         if (rc) goto out;
@@ -3354,6 +3363,9 @@ void libxl__device_nic_add(libxl__egc *egc, uint32_t domid,
         if (rc) goto out;
 
         DEVICE_ADD(nic, nics, domid, &nic_saved, COMPARE_DEVID, &d_config);
+
+        rc = libxl__dm_check_start(gc, &d_config, domid);
+        if (rc) goto out;
     }
 
     for (;;) {
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_dm.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_dm.c
index 13e8892..7aabe15 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_dm.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_dm.c
@@ -2169,6 +2169,28 @@ int libxl__dm_active(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid)
     return pid != NULL;
 }
 
+int libxl__dm_check_start(libxl__gc *gc, libxl_domain_config *d_config,
+                          uint32_t domid)
+{
+    int rc;
+
+    if (libxl__dm_active(gc, domid))
+        return 0;
+
+    rc = libxl__need_xenpv_qemu(gc, d_config);
+    if (rc < 0)
+        goto out;
+
+    if (!rc)
+        return 0;
+
+    LOG(ERROR, "device model required but not running");
+    rc = ERROR_FAIL;
+
+out:
+    return rc;
+}
+
 /*
  * Local variables:
  * mode: C
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
index 2db8b1b..9708a46 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
@@ -1618,6 +1618,10 @@ _hidden const char *libxl__domain_device_model(libxl__gc *gc,
                                         const libxl_domain_build_info *info);
 _hidden int libxl__need_xenpv_qemu(libxl__gc *gc,
                                    libxl_domain_config *d_config);
+_hidden int libxl__dm_active(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid);
+_hidden int libxl__dm_check_start(libxl__gc *gc,
+                                  libxl_domain_config *d_config,
+                                  uint32_t domid);
 
 /*
  * This function will fix reserved device memory conflict
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_pci.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_pci.c
index dc10cb7..300fd4d 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_pci.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_pci.c
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ static int libxl__device_pci_add_xenstore(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid, libxl_d
 
     DEVICE_ADD(pci, pcidevs, domid, &pcidev_saved, COMPARE_PCI, &d_config);
 
+    rc = libxl__dm_check_start(gc, &d_config, domid);
+    if (rc) goto out;
+
     for (;;) {
         rc = libxl__xs_transaction_start(gc, &t);
         if (rc) goto out;
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_pvusb.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_pvusb.c
index 069b2a9..4a4ddc3 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_pvusb.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_pvusb.c
@@ -144,6 +144,9 @@ static int libxl__device_usbctrl_add_xenstore(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid,
 
         DEVICE_ADD(usbctrl, usbctrls, domid, &usbctrl_saved,
                    COMPARE_USBCTRL, &d_config);
+
+        rc = libxl__dm_check_start(gc, &d_config, domid);
+        if (rc) goto out;
     }
 
     for (;;) {
@@ -960,6 +963,9 @@ static int libxl__device_usbdev_add_xenstore(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid,
 
         DEVICE_ADD(usbdev, usbdevs, domid, &usbdev_saved,
                    COMPARE_USB, &d_config);
+
+        rc = libxl__dm_check_start(gc, &d_config, domid);
+        if (rc) goto out;
     }
 
     for (;;) {
