diff --git a/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c b/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
index 0b562f7595..c728fa27ed 100644
--- a/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
+++ b/src/libxl/libxl_migration.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "vircommand.h"
 #include "virstring.h"
 #include "virobject.h"
+#include "virthread.h"
 #include "rpc/virnetsocket.h"
 #include "libxl_domain.h"
 #include "libxl_driver.h"
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ VIR_LOG_INIT("libxl.libxl_migration");
 typedef struct _libxlMigrationDstArgs {
     virObject parent;
 
+    int recvfd;
     virConnectPtr conn;
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
     unsigned int flags;
@@ -82,31 +84,18 @@ libxlMigrationDstArgsOnceInit(void)
 VIR_ONCE_GLOBAL_INIT(libxlMigrationDstArgs)
 
 static void
-libxlDoMigrateReceive(virNetSocketPtr sock,
-                      int events ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-                      void *opaque)
+libxlDoMigrateReceive(void *opaque)
 {
     libxlMigrationDstArgs *args = opaque;
-    virConnectPtr conn = args->conn;
     virDomainObjPtr vm = args->vm;
     virNetSocketPtr *socks = args->socks;
     size_t nsocks = args->nsocks;
     bool paused = args->flags & VIR_MIGRATE_PAUSED;
-    libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver = conn->privateData;
-    virNetSocketPtr client_sock;
-    int recvfd = -1;
+    libxlDriverPrivatePtr driver = args->conn->privateData;
+    int recvfd = args->recvfd;
     size_t i;
     int ret;
 
-    if (virNetSocketAccept(sock, &client_sock) < 0) {
-        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID, "%s",
-                       _("Fail to accept migration connection"));
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-    VIR_DEBUG("Accepted migration connection\n");
-    recvfd = virNetSocketDupFD(client_sock, true);
-    virObjectUnref(client_sock);
-
     virObjectLock(vm);
     ret = libxlDomainStart(driver, vm, paused, recvfd);
     virObjectUnlock(vm);
@@ -114,7 +103,59 @@ libxlDoMigrateReceive(virNetSocketPtr sock,
     if (ret < 0 && !vm->persistent)
         virDomainObjListRemove(driver->domains, vm);
 
- cleanup:
+    /* Remove all listen socks from event handler, and close them. */
+    for (i = 0; i < nsocks; i++) {
+        virNetSocketUpdateIOCallback(socks[i], 0);
+        virNetSocketRemoveIOCallback(socks[i]);
+        virNetSocketClose(socks[i]);
+        virObjectUnref(socks[i]);
+        socks[i] = NULL;
+    }
+    args->nsocks = 0;
+    VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(recvfd);
+}
+
+
+static void
+libxlMigrateReceive(virNetSocketPtr sock,
+                    int events ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
+                    void *opaque)
+{
+    libxlMigrationDstArgs *args = opaque;
+    virNetSocketPtr *socks = args->socks;
+    size_t nsocks = args->nsocks;
+    virNetSocketPtr client_sock;
+    int recvfd = -1;
+    virThread thread;
+    size_t i;
+
+    /* Accept migration connection */
+    virNetSocketAccept(sock, &client_sock);
+    if (client_sock == NULL) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
+                       _("Failed to accept migration connection"));
+        goto fail;
+    }
+    VIR_DEBUG("Accepted migration connection."
+              "  Spawing thread to process migration data");
+    recvfd = virNetSocketDupFD(client_sock, true);
+    virObjectUnref(client_sock);
+
+    /*
+     * Avoid blocking the event loop.  Start a thread to receive
+     * the migration data
+     */
+    args->recvfd = recvfd;
+    if (virThreadCreate(&thread, false,
+                        libxlDoMigrateReceive, args) < 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_FAILED, "%s",
+                       _("Failed to create thread for receiving migration data"));
+        goto fail;
+    }
+
+    return;
+
+ fail:
     /* Remove all listen socks from event handler, and close them. */
     for (i = 0; i < nsocks; i++) {
         virNetSocketUpdateIOCallback(socks[i], 0);
@@ -376,7 +417,7 @@ libxlDomainMigrationPrepare(virConnectPtr dconn,
 
         if (virNetSocketAddIOCallback(socks[i],
                                       VIR_EVENT_HANDLE_READABLE,
-                                      libxlDoMigrateReceive,
+                                      libxlMigrateReceive,
                                       args,
                                       virObjectFreeCallback) < 0)
             continue;