diff --git a/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c b/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
index f93a81c7cd..e8b4547409 100644
--- a/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
+++ b/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
@@ -631,7 +631,6 @@ static int virtio_ccw_exit(VirtioCcwDevice *dev)
 {
     SubchDev *sch = dev->sch;
 
-    virtio_ccw_stop_ioeventfd(dev);
     if (sch) {
         css_subch_assign(sch->cssid, sch->ssid, sch->schid, sch->devno, NULL);
         g_free(sch);
@@ -1228,6 +1227,8 @@ static int virtio_ccw_busdev_unplug(DeviceState *dev)
     VirtioCcwDevice *_dev = (VirtioCcwDevice *)dev;
     SubchDev *sch = _dev->sch;
 
+    virtio_ccw_stop_ioeventfd(_dev);
+
     /*
      * We should arrive here only for device_del, since we don't support
      * direct hot(un)plug of channels, but only through virtio.