diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 75f4563b63..4e65f3b399 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -9033,7 +9033,7 @@ static int qemudDomainDetachPciDiskDevice(struct qemud_driver *driver,
     virDomainDiskDefPtr detach = NULL;
     qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = vm->privateData;
     virCgroupPtr cgroup = NULL;
-    char drivestr[PATH_MAX];
+    char *drivestr = NULL;
 
     i = qemudFindDisk(vm->def, dev->data.disk->dst);
 
@@ -9063,40 +9063,29 @@ static int qemudDomainDetachPciDiskDevice(struct qemud_driver *driver,
 
     /* build the actual drive id string as the disk->info.alias doesn't
      * contain the QEMU_DRIVE_HOST_PREFIX that is passed to qemu */
-    if ((ret = snprintf(drivestr, sizeof(drivestr), "%s%s",
-                   QEMU_DRIVE_HOST_PREFIX,
-                   detach->info.alias))
-        < 0 || ret >= sizeof(drivestr)) {
+    if (virAsprintf(&drivestr, "%s%s",
+                    QEMU_DRIVE_HOST_PREFIX, detach->info.alias) < 0) {
         virReportOOMError();
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorWithDriver(driver, vm);
     if (qemuCmdFlags & QEMUD_CMD_FLAG_DEVICE) {
-        ret = qemuMonitorDriveUnplug(priv->mon, drivestr);
-        DEBUG("DriveUnplug ret=%d", ret);
-        /* ret > 0 indicates unplug isn't supported, issue will be logged */
-        if (ret < 0) {
-            qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(vm);
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
         if (qemuMonitorDelDevice(priv->mon, detach->info.alias) < 0) {
             qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(vm);
             goto cleanup;
         }
     } else {
-        ret = qemuMonitorDriveUnplug(priv->mon, drivestr);
-        /* ret > 0 indicates unplug isn't supported, issue will be logged */
-        if (ret < 0) {
-            qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(vm);
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
         if (qemuMonitorRemovePCIDevice(priv->mon,
                                        &detach->info.addr.pci) < 0) {
             qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(vm);
             goto cleanup;
         }
     }
+
+    /* disconnect guest from host device */
+    qemuMonitorDriveDel(priv->mon, drivestr);
+
     qemuDomainObjExitMonitorWithDriver(driver, vm);
 
     qemuDomainDiskAudit(vm, detach, NULL, "detach", ret >= 0);
@@ -9124,6 +9113,7 @@ static int qemudDomainDetachPciDiskDevice(struct qemud_driver *driver,
     ret = 0;
 
 cleanup:
+    VIR_FREE(drivestr);
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -9136,7 +9126,7 @@ static int qemudDomainDetachSCSIDiskDevice(struct qemud_driver *driver,
     virDomainDiskDefPtr detach = NULL;
     qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv = vm->privateData;
     virCgroupPtr cgroup = NULL;
-    char drivestr[PATH_MAX];
+    char *drivestr = NULL;
 
     i = qemudFindDisk(vm->def, dev->data.disk->dst);
 
@@ -9165,24 +9155,21 @@ static int qemudDomainDetachSCSIDiskDevice(struct qemud_driver *driver,
 
     /* build the actual drive id string as the disk->info.alias doesn't
      * contain the QEMU_DRIVE_HOST_PREFIX that is passed to qemu */
-    if ((ret = snprintf(drivestr, sizeof(drivestr), "%s%s",
-                   QEMU_DRIVE_HOST_PREFIX,
-                   detach->info.alias))
-        < 0 || ret >= sizeof(drivestr)) {
+    if (virAsprintf(&drivestr, "%s%s",
+                    QEMU_DRIVE_HOST_PREFIX, detach->info.alias) < 0) {
         virReportOOMError();
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     qemuDomainObjEnterMonitorWithDriver(driver, vm);
-    /* ret > 0 indicates unplug isn't supported, issue will be logged */
-    if (qemuMonitorDriveUnplug(priv->mon, drivestr) < 0) {
-        qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(vm);
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
     if (qemuMonitorDelDevice(priv->mon, detach->info.alias) < 0) {
         qemuDomainObjExitMonitor(vm);
         goto cleanup;
     }
+
+    /* disconnect guest from host device */
+    qemuMonitorDriveDel(priv->mon, drivestr);
+
     qemuDomainObjExitMonitorWithDriver(driver, vm);
 
     qemuDomainDiskAudit(vm, detach, NULL, "detach", ret >= 0);
@@ -9206,6 +9193,7 @@ static int qemudDomainDetachSCSIDiskDevice(struct qemud_driver *driver,
     ret = 0;
 
 cleanup:
+    VIR_FREE(drivestr);
     virCgroupFree(&cgroup);
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
index 8330b9cf22..6ad894d6fd 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
@@ -1774,8 +1774,8 @@ int qemuMonitorGetAllPCIAddresses(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     return ret;
 }
 
-int qemuMonitorDriveUnplug(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
-                         const char *drivestr)
+int qemuMonitorDriveDel(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
+                        const char *drivestr)
 {
     DEBUG("mon=%p drivestr=%s", mon, drivestr);
     int ret;
@@ -1787,9 +1787,9 @@ int qemuMonitorDriveUnplug(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     }
 
     if (mon->json)
-        ret = qemuMonitorJSONDriveUnplug(mon, drivestr);
+        ret = qemuMonitorJSONDriveDel(mon, drivestr);
     else
-        ret = qemuMonitorTextDriveUnplug(mon, drivestr);
+        ret = qemuMonitorTextDriveDel(mon, drivestr);
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
index cf5b402eec..4d7aaf7e03 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ int qemuMonitorDelDevice(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
 int qemuMonitorAddDrive(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                         const char *drivestr);
 
-int qemuMonitorDriveUnplug(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
+int qemuMonitorDriveDel(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                         const char *drivestr);
 
 int qemuMonitorSetDrivePassphrase(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
index bcf6377f45..409f6bd25b 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
@@ -2239,15 +2239,15 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONAddDrive(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
 }
 
 
-int qemuMonitorJSONDriveUnplug(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
-                             const char *drivestr)
+int qemuMonitorJSONDriveDel(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
+                            const char *drivestr)
 {
     int ret;
     virJSONValuePtr cmd;
     virJSONValuePtr reply = NULL;
 
-    DEBUG("JSONDriveUnplug drivestr=%s", drivestr);
-    cmd = qemuMonitorJSONMakeCommand("drive_unplug",
+    DEBUG("JSONDriveDel drivestr=%s", drivestr);
+    cmd = qemuMonitorJSONMakeCommand("drive_del",
                                      "s:id", drivestr,
                                      NULL);
     if (!cmd)
@@ -2256,14 +2256,19 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONDriveUnplug(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
     ret = qemuMonitorJSONCommand(mon, cmd, &reply);
 
     if (ret == 0) {
-        /* See if drive_unplug isn't supported */
+        /* See if drive_del isn't supported */
         if (qemuMonitorJSONHasError(reply, "CommandNotFound")) {
-            VIR_ERROR0(_("unplugging disk is not supported.  "
+            VIR_ERROR0(_("deleting disk is not supported.  "
                         "This may leak data if disk is reassigned"));
             ret = 1;
             goto cleanup;
+        } else if (qemuMonitorJSONHasError(reply, "DeviceNotFound")) {
+            /* NB: device not found errors mean the drive was
+             * auto-deleted and we ignore the error */
+            ret = 0;
+        } else {
+            ret = qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply);
         }
-        ret = qemuMonitorJSONCheckError(cmd, reply);
     }
 
 cleanup:
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.h b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.h
index 4882d4e443..8d96146321 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.h
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ int qemuMonitorJSONDelDevice(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
 int qemuMonitorJSONAddDrive(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                             const char *drivestr);
 
-int qemuMonitorJSONDriveUnplug(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
+int qemuMonitorJSONDriveDel(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                             const char *drivestr);
 
 int qemuMonitorJSONSetDrivePassphrase(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_text.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_text.c
index 1a8d0ec529..29e21ce2a7 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_text.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_text.c
@@ -2286,6 +2286,7 @@ int qemuMonitorTextDelDevice(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    DEBUG("TextDelDevice devalias=%s", devalias);
     if (qemuMonitorCommand(mon, cmd, &reply) < 0) {
         qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
                         _("cannot detach %s device"), devalias);
@@ -2392,41 +2393,48 @@ cleanup:
     return ret;
 }
 
-/* Attempts to unplug a drive.  Returns 1 if unsupported, 0 if ok, and -1 on
- * other failure */
-int qemuMonitorTextDriveUnplug(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
-                             const char *drivestr)
+/* Attempts to remove a host drive.
+ * Returns 1 if unsupported, 0 if ok, and -1 on other failure */
+int qemuMonitorTextDriveDel(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
+                            const char *drivestr)
 {
     char *cmd = NULL;
     char *reply = NULL;
     char *safedev;
     int ret = -1;
-    DEBUG("TextDriveUnplug drivestr=%s", drivestr);
+    DEBUG("TextDriveDel drivestr=%s", drivestr);
 
     if (!(safedev = qemuMonitorEscapeArg(drivestr))) {
         virReportOOMError();
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    if (virAsprintf(&cmd, "drive_unplug %s", safedev) < 0) {
+    if (virAsprintf(&cmd, "drive_del %s", safedev) < 0) {
         virReportOOMError();
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if (qemuMonitorCommand(mon, cmd, &reply) < 0) {
         qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
-                        _("cannot unplug %s drive"), drivestr);
+                        _("cannot delete %s drive"), drivestr);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
     if (strstr(reply, "unknown command:")) {
-        VIR_ERROR0(_("unplugging disk is not supported.  "
+        VIR_ERROR0(_("deleting drive is not supported.  "
                     "This may leak data if disk is reassigned"));
         ret = 1;
         goto cleanup;
+
+    /* (qemu) drive_del wark
+     * Device 'wark' not found */
+    } else if (STRPREFIX(reply, "Device '") && (strstr(reply, "not found"))) {
+        /* NB: device not found errors mean the drive was auto-deleted and we
+         * ignore the error */
+        ret = 0;
     } else if (STRNEQ(reply, "")) {
         qemuReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED,
-                        _("unplugging %s drive failed: %s"), drivestr, reply);
+                        _("deleting %s drive failed: %s"), drivestr, reply);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_text.h b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_text.h
index 6ef858c13a..57d6e9b24a 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_text.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_text.h
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ int qemuMonitorTextDelDevice(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
 int qemuMonitorTextAddDrive(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                              const char *drivestr);
 
-int qemuMonitorTextDriveUnplug(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
+int qemuMonitorTextDriveDel(qemuMonitorPtr mon,
                              const char *drivestr);
 
 int qemuMonitorTextSetDrivePassphrase(qemuMonitorPtr mon,