diff --git a/audio/audio.c b/audio/audio.c
index 5649075..50d0d71 100644
--- a/audio/audio.c
+++ b/audio/audio.c
@@ -1743,7 +1743,7 @@
 }
 
 static void audio_vm_change_state_handler (void *opaque, int running,
-                                           int reason)
+                                           RunState state)
 {
     AudioState *s = opaque;
     HWVoiceOut *hwo = NULL;
diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 54c188c..76a79ac 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -118,13 +118,13 @@
     return !vm_running || env->stopped;
 }
 
-static void do_vm_stop(int reason)
+static void do_vm_stop(RunState state)
 {
     if (vm_running) {
         cpu_disable_ticks();
         vm_running = 0;
         pause_all_vcpus();
-        vm_state_notify(0, reason);
+        vm_state_notify(0, state);
         qemu_aio_flush();
         bdrv_flush_all();
         monitor_protocol_event(QEVENT_STOP, NULL);
@@ -878,10 +878,10 @@
     }
 }
 
-void vm_stop(int reason)
+void vm_stop(RunState state)
 {
     if (!qemu_thread_is_self(&io_thread)) {
-        qemu_system_vmstop_request(reason);
+        qemu_system_vmstop_request(state);
         /*
          * FIXME: should not return to device code in case
          * vm_stop() has been requested.
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@
         cpu_stop_current();
         return;
     }
-    do_vm_stop(reason);
+    do_vm_stop(state);
 }
 
 static int tcg_cpu_exec(CPUState *env)
diff --git a/gdbstub.c b/gdbstub.c
index 90683a4..75b52e2 100644
--- a/gdbstub.c
+++ b/gdbstub.c
@@ -2373,7 +2373,7 @@
 }
 
 #ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
-static void gdb_vm_state_change(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void gdb_vm_state_change(void *opaque, int running, RunState state)
 {
     GDBState *s = gdbserver_state;
     CPUState *env = s->c_cpu;
@@ -2384,8 +2384,8 @@
     if (running || s->state == RS_INACTIVE || s->state == RS_SYSCALL) {
         return;
     }
-    switch (reason) {
-    case VMSTOP_DEBUG:
+    switch (state) {
+    case RSTATE_DEBUG:
         if (env->watchpoint_hit) {
             switch (env->watchpoint_hit->flags & BP_MEM_ACCESS) {
             case BP_MEM_READ:
@@ -2408,25 +2408,25 @@
         tb_flush(env);
         ret = GDB_SIGNAL_TRAP;
         break;
-    case VMSTOP_USER:
+    case RSTATE_PAUSED:
         ret = GDB_SIGNAL_INT;
         break;
-    case VMSTOP_SHUTDOWN:
+    case RSTATE_SHUTDOWN:
         ret = GDB_SIGNAL_QUIT;
         break;
-    case VMSTOP_DISKFULL:
+    case RSTATE_IO_ERROR:
         ret = GDB_SIGNAL_IO;
         break;
-    case VMSTOP_WATCHDOG:
+    case RSTATE_WATCHDOG:
         ret = GDB_SIGNAL_ALRM;
         break;
-    case VMSTOP_PANIC:
+    case RSTATE_PANICKED:
         ret = GDB_SIGNAL_ABRT;
         break;
-    case VMSTOP_SAVEVM:
-    case VMSTOP_LOADVM:
+    case RSTATE_SAVEVM:
+    case RSTATE_RESTORE:
         return;
-    case VMSTOP_MIGRATE:
+    case RSTATE_PRE_MIGRATE:
         ret = GDB_SIGNAL_XCPU;
         break;
     default:
@@ -2463,7 +2463,7 @@
     gdb_current_syscall_cb = cb;
     s->state = RS_SYSCALL;
 #ifndef CONFIG_USER_ONLY
-    vm_stop(VMSTOP_DEBUG);
+    vm_stop(RSTATE_DEBUG);
 #endif
     s->state = RS_IDLE;
     va_start(va, fmt);
@@ -2537,7 +2537,7 @@
     if (vm_running) {
         /* when the CPU is running, we cannot do anything except stop
            it when receiving a char */
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_USER);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_PAUSED);
     } else
 #endif
     {
@@ -2799,7 +2799,7 @@
 {
     switch (event) {
     case CHR_EVENT_OPENED:
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_USER);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_PAUSED);
         gdb_has_xml = 0;
         break;
     default:
@@ -2840,7 +2840,7 @@
 static void gdb_sigterm_handler(int signal)
 {
     if (vm_running) {
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_USER);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_PAUSED);
     }
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/hw/ide/ahci.c b/hw/ide/ahci.c
index a8659cf..b813236 100644
--- a/hw/ide/ahci.c
+++ b/hw/ide/ahci.c
@@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@
 {
 }
 
-static void ahci_dma_restart_cb(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void ahci_dma_restart_cb(void *opaque, int running, RunState state)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/ide/core.c b/hw/ide/core.c
index 9297b9e..4d5a076 100644
--- a/hw/ide/core.c
+++ b/hw/ide/core.c
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@
         s->bus->dma->ops->set_unit(s->bus->dma, s->unit);
         s->bus->error_status = op;
         bdrv_mon_event(s->bs, BDRV_ACTION_STOP, is_read);
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_DISKFULL);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_IO_ERROR);
     } else {
         if (op & BM_STATUS_DMA_RETRY) {
             dma_buf_commit(s, 0);
@@ -1910,7 +1910,7 @@
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void ide_nop_restart(void *opaque, int x, int y)
+static void ide_nop_restart(void *opaque, int x, RunState y)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/ide/internal.h b/hw/ide/internal.h
index 233915c..9046e96 100644
--- a/hw/ide/internal.h
+++ b/hw/ide/internal.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <hw/ide.h>
 #include "iorange.h"
 #include "dma.h"
+#include "sysemu.h"
 
 /* debug IDE devices */
 //#define DEBUG_IDE
@@ -387,7 +388,7 @@
 typedef void DMAStartFunc(IDEDMA *, IDEState *, BlockDriverCompletionFunc *);
 typedef int DMAFunc(IDEDMA *);
 typedef int DMAIntFunc(IDEDMA *, int);
-typedef void DMARestartFunc(void *, int, int);
+typedef void DMARestartFunc(void *, int, RunState);
 
 struct unreported_events {
     bool eject_request;
diff --git a/hw/ide/pci.c b/hw/ide/pci.c
index 9fded02..f133c42 100644
--- a/hw/ide/pci.c
+++ b/hw/ide/pci.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@
     }
 }
 
-static void bmdma_restart_cb(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void bmdma_restart_cb(void *opaque, int running, RunState state)
 {
     IDEDMA *dma = opaque;
     BMDMAState *bm = DO_UPCAST(BMDMAState, dma, dma);
diff --git a/hw/kvmclock.c b/hw/kvmclock.c
index b73aec4..88961be 100644
--- a/hw/kvmclock.c
+++ b/hw/kvmclock.c
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@
     return kvm_vm_ioctl(kvm_state, KVM_SET_CLOCK, &data);
 }
 
-static void kvmclock_vm_state_change(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void kvmclock_vm_state_change(void *opaque, int running,
+                                     RunState state)
 {
     KVMClockState *s = opaque;
 
diff --git a/hw/qxl.c b/hw/qxl.c
index a282d23..6db2f1a 100644
--- a/hw/qxl.c
+++ b/hw/qxl.c
@@ -1453,10 +1453,11 @@
     }
 }
 
-static void qxl_vm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void qxl_vm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running,
+                                        RunState state)
 {
     PCIQXLDevice *qxl = opaque;
-    qemu_spice_vm_change_state_handler(&qxl->ssd, running, reason);
+    qemu_spice_vm_change_state_handler(&qxl->ssd, running, state);
 
     if (running) {
         /*
diff --git a/hw/scsi-disk.c b/hw/scsi-disk.c
index 4a60820..96c554f 100644
--- a/hw/scsi-disk.c
+++ b/hw/scsi-disk.c
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
         r->status |= SCSI_REQ_STATUS_RETRY | type;
 
         bdrv_mon_event(s->bs, BDRV_ACTION_STOP, is_read);
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_DISKFULL);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_IO_ERROR);
     } else {
         switch (error) {
         case ENOMEM:
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@
     }
 }
 
-static void scsi_dma_restart_cb(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void scsi_dma_restart_cb(void *opaque, int running, RunState state)
 {
     SCSIDiskState *s = opaque;
 
diff --git a/hw/virtio-blk.c b/hw/virtio-blk.c
index c2ee000..daa8e42 100644
--- a/hw/virtio-blk.c
+++ b/hw/virtio-blk.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
         req->next = s->rq;
         s->rq = req;
         bdrv_mon_event(s->bs, BDRV_ACTION_STOP, is_read);
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_DISKFULL);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_IO_ERROR);
     } else {
         virtio_blk_req_complete(req, VIRTIO_BLK_S_IOERR);
         bdrv_acct_done(s->bs, &req->acct);
@@ -439,7 +439,8 @@
     virtio_submit_multiwrite(s->bs, &mrb);
 }
 
-static void virtio_blk_dma_restart_cb(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void virtio_blk_dma_restart_cb(void *opaque, int running,
+                                      RunState state)
 {
     VirtIOBlock *s = opaque;
 
diff --git a/hw/virtio.c b/hw/virtio.c
index 13aa0fa..74ab79e 100644
--- a/hw/virtio.c
+++ b/hw/virtio.c
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@
     g_free(vdev);
 }
 
-static void virtio_vmstate_change(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void virtio_vmstate_change(void *opaque, int running, RunState state)
 {
     VirtIODevice *vdev = opaque;
     bool backend_run = running && (vdev->status & VIRTIO_CONFIG_S_DRIVER_OK);
diff --git a/hw/watchdog.c b/hw/watchdog.c
index 1c900a1..71c6c7d 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@
 
     case WDT_PAUSE:             /* same as 'stop' command in monitor */
         watchdog_mon_event("pause");
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_WATCHDOG);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_WATCHDOG);
         break;
 
     case WDT_DEBUG:
diff --git a/kvm-all.c b/kvm-all.c
index fbb9ff3..228655b 100644
--- a/kvm-all.c
+++ b/kvm-all.c
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@
 
     if (ret < 0) {
         cpu_dump_state(env, stderr, fprintf, CPU_DUMP_CODE);
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_PANIC);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_PANICKED);
     }
 
     env->exit_request = 0;
diff --git a/migration.c b/migration.c
index f5959b4..29f1a76 100644
--- a/migration.c
+++ b/migration.c
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@
         int old_vm_running = vm_running;
 
         DPRINTF("done iterating\n");
-        vm_stop(VMSTOP_MIGRATE);
+        vm_stop(RSTATE_PRE_MIGRATE);
 
         if ((qemu_savevm_state_complete(s->mon, s->file)) < 0) {
             if (old_vm_running) {
diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index 03ae997..b98b8bd 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -1293,7 +1293,7 @@
  */
 static int do_stop(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data)
 {
-    vm_stop(VMSTOP_USER);
+    vm_stop(RSTATE_PAUSED);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2828,7 +2828,7 @@
     int saved_vm_running  = vm_running;
     const char *name = qdict_get_str(qdict, "name");
 
-    vm_stop(VMSTOP_LOADVM);
+    vm_stop(RSTATE_RESTORE);
 
     if (load_vmstate(name) == 0 && saved_vm_running) {
         vm_start();
diff --git a/qemu-timer.c b/qemu-timer.c
index 46dd483..b582786 100644
--- a/qemu-timer.c
+++ b/qemu-timer.c
@@ -1116,7 +1116,8 @@
 
 #endif /* _WIN32 */
 
-static void alarm_timer_on_change_state_rearm(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void alarm_timer_on_change_state_rearm(void *opaque, int running,
+                                              RunState state)
 {
     if (running)
         qemu_rearm_alarm_timer((struct qemu_alarm_timer *) opaque);
diff --git a/savevm.c b/savevm.c
index 1feaa70..f1f7735 100644
--- a/savevm.c
+++ b/savevm.c
@@ -1603,7 +1603,7 @@
     int ret;
 
     saved_vm_running = vm_running;
-    vm_stop(VMSTOP_SAVEVM);
+    vm_stop(RSTATE_SAVEVM);
 
     if (qemu_savevm_state_blocked(mon)) {
         ret = -EINVAL;
@@ -1932,7 +1932,7 @@
     }
 
     saved_vm_running = vm_running;
-    vm_stop(VMSTOP_SAVEVM);
+    vm_stop(RSTATE_SAVEVM);
 
     memset(sn, 0, sizeof(*sn));
 
diff --git a/sysemu.h b/sysemu.h
index eb66af5..be3448b 100644
--- a/sysemu.h
+++ b/sysemu.h
@@ -9,6 +9,21 @@
 #include "notify.h"
 
 /* vl.c */
+
+typedef enum {
+    RSTATE_NO_STATE,
+    RSTATE_DEBUG,          /* qemu is running under gdb */
+    RSTATE_PANICKED,       /* paused due to an internal error */
+    RSTATE_IO_ERROR,       /* paused due to an I/O error */
+    RSTATE_PAUSED,         /* paused by the user (ie. the 'stop' command) */
+    RSTATE_PRE_MIGRATE,    /* paused preparing to finish migrate */
+    RSTATE_RESTORE,        /* paused restoring the VM state */
+    RSTATE_RUNNING,        /* qemu is running */
+    RSTATE_SAVEVM,         /* paused saving VM state */
+    RSTATE_SHUTDOWN,       /* guest shut down and -no-shutdown is in use */
+    RSTATE_WATCHDOG        /* watchdog fired and qemu is configured to pause */
+} RunState;
+
 extern const char *bios_name;
 
 extern int vm_running;
@@ -18,34 +33,24 @@
 #define UUID_FMT "%02hhx%02hhx%02hhx%02hhx-%02hhx%02hhx-%02hhx%02hhx-%02hhx%02hhx-%02hhx%02hhx%02hhx%02hhx%02hhx%02hhx"
 
 typedef struct vm_change_state_entry VMChangeStateEntry;
-typedef void VMChangeStateHandler(void *opaque, int running, int reason);
+typedef void VMChangeStateHandler(void *opaque, int running, RunState state);
 
 VMChangeStateEntry *qemu_add_vm_change_state_handler(VMChangeStateHandler *cb,
                                                      void *opaque);
 void qemu_del_vm_change_state_handler(VMChangeStateEntry *e);
-void vm_state_notify(int running, int reason);
-
-#define VMSTOP_USER      0
-#define VMSTOP_DEBUG     1
-#define VMSTOP_SHUTDOWN  2
-#define VMSTOP_DISKFULL  3
-#define VMSTOP_WATCHDOG  4
-#define VMSTOP_PANIC     5
-#define VMSTOP_SAVEVM    6
-#define VMSTOP_LOADVM    7
-#define VMSTOP_MIGRATE   8
+void vm_state_notify(int running, RunState state);
 
 #define VMRESET_SILENT   false
 #define VMRESET_REPORT   true
 
 void vm_start(void);
-void vm_stop(int reason);
+void vm_stop(RunState state);
 
 void qemu_system_reset_request(void);
 void qemu_system_shutdown_request(void);
 void qemu_system_powerdown_request(void);
 void qemu_system_debug_request(void);
-void qemu_system_vmstop_request(int reason);
+void qemu_system_vmstop_request(RunState reason);
 int qemu_shutdown_requested_get(void);
 int qemu_reset_requested_get(void);
 int qemu_shutdown_requested(void);
diff --git a/target-i386/kvm.c b/target-i386/kvm.c
index 22b1dd0..ead34ea 100644
--- a/target-i386/kvm.c
+++ b/target-i386/kvm.c
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void cpu_update_state(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void cpu_update_state(void *opaque, int running, RunState state)
 {
     CPUState *env = opaque;
 
diff --git a/ui/spice-display.c b/ui/spice-display.c
index e385361..3a92a12 100644
--- a/ui/spice-display.c
+++ b/ui/spice-display.c
@@ -255,7 +255,8 @@
     qemu_spice_destroy_primary_surface(ssd, 0, QXL_SYNC);
 }
 
-void qemu_spice_vm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+void qemu_spice_vm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running,
+                                        RunState state)
 {
     SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd = opaque;
 
diff --git a/ui/spice-display.h b/ui/spice-display.h
index 1388641..5e52df9 100644
--- a/ui/spice-display.h
+++ b/ui/spice-display.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "qemu-thread.h"
 #include "console.h"
 #include "pflib.h"
+#include "sysemu.h"
 
 #define NUM_MEMSLOTS 8
 #define MEMSLOT_GENERATION_BITS 8
@@ -88,7 +89,8 @@
 void qemu_spice_create_host_memslot(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd);
 void qemu_spice_create_host_primary(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd);
 void qemu_spice_destroy_host_primary(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd);
-void qemu_spice_vm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running, int reason);
+void qemu_spice_vm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running,
+                                        RunState state);
 void qemu_spice_display_init_common(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd, DisplayState *ds);
 
 void qemu_spice_display_update(SimpleSpiceDisplay *ssd,
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index b773d2f..304a499 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -1145,14 +1145,14 @@
     g_free (e);
 }
 
-void vm_state_notify(int running, int reason)
+void vm_state_notify(int running, RunState state)
 {
     VMChangeStateEntry *e;
 
-    trace_vm_state_notify(running, reason);
+    trace_vm_state_notify(running, state);
 
     for (e = vm_change_state_head.lh_first; e; e = e->entries.le_next) {
-        e->cb(e->opaque, running, reason);
+        e->cb(e->opaque, running, state);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@
     if (!vm_running) {
         cpu_enable_ticks();
         vm_running = 1;
-        vm_state_notify(1, 0);
+        vm_state_notify(1, RSTATE_RUNNING);
         resume_all_vcpus();
         monitor_protocol_event(QEVENT_RESUME, NULL);
     }
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@
 static pid_t shutdown_pid;
 static int powerdown_requested;
 static int debug_requested;
-static int vmstop_requested;
+static RunState vmstop_requested = RSTATE_NO_STATE;
 
 int qemu_shutdown_requested_get(void)
 {
@@ -1238,11 +1238,11 @@
     return r;
 }
 
-static int qemu_vmstop_requested(void)
+static RunState qemu_vmstop_requested(void)
 {
-    int r = vmstop_requested;
-    vmstop_requested = 0;
-    return r;
+    RunState s = vmstop_requested;
+    vmstop_requested = RSTATE_NO_STATE;
+    return s;
 }
 
 void qemu_register_reset(QEMUResetHandler *func, void *opaque)
@@ -1317,9 +1317,9 @@
     qemu_notify_event();
 }
 
-void qemu_system_vmstop_request(int reason)
+void qemu_system_vmstop_request(RunState state)
 {
-    vmstop_requested = reason;
+    vmstop_requested = state;
     qemu_notify_event();
 }
 
@@ -1469,13 +1469,13 @@
 #endif
 
         if (qemu_debug_requested()) {
-            vm_stop(VMSTOP_DEBUG);
+            vm_stop(RSTATE_DEBUG);
         }
         if (qemu_shutdown_requested()) {
             qemu_kill_report();
             monitor_protocol_event(QEVENT_SHUTDOWN, NULL);
             if (no_shutdown) {
-                vm_stop(VMSTOP_SHUTDOWN);
+                vm_stop(RSTATE_SHUTDOWN);
             } else
                 break;
         }
diff --git a/xen-all.c b/xen-all.c
index 1bc2c3c..b119817 100644
--- a/xen-all.c
+++ b/xen-all.c
@@ -846,7 +846,8 @@
 
 /* Initialise Xen */
 
-static void xen_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void xen_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running,
+                                     RunState state)
 {
     if (running) {
         /* record state running */
@@ -854,11 +855,12 @@
     }
 }
 
-static void xen_hvm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running, int reason)
+static void xen_hvm_change_state_handler(void *opaque, int running,
+                                         RunState rstate)
 {
-    XenIOState *state = opaque;
+    XenIOState *xstate = opaque;
     if (running) {
-        xen_main_loop_prepare(state);
+        xen_main_loop_prepare(xstate);
     }
 }