diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
index ac73950..6745de7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 #include <rte_memory.h>
 #include <rte_eal.h>
 #include <rte_dev.h>
+#include <rte_cycles.h>
 
 #include "virtio_ethdev.h"
 #include "virtio_pci.h"
@@ -1249,6 +1250,45 @@ static int virtio_dev_xstats_get_names(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int
+virtio_dev_pause(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
+{
+	struct virtio_hw *hw = dev->data->dev_private;
+
+	rte_spinlock_lock(&hw->state_lock);
+
+	if (hw->started == 0) {
+		rte_spinlock_unlock(&hw->state_lock);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	hw->started = 0;
+	/*
+	 * Prevent the worker thread from touching queues to avoid contention,
+	 * 1 ms should be enough for the ongoing Tx function to finish.
+	 */
+	rte_delay_ms(1);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void
+virtio_dev_resume(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
+{
+	struct virtio_hw *hw = dev->data->dev_private;
+
+	hw->started = 1;
+	rte_spinlock_unlock(&hw->state_lock);
+}
+
+void
+virtio_inject_pkts(struct rte_eth_dev *dev, struct virtnet_tx *txvq,
+		struct rte_mbuf **buf, int count)
+{
+	struct virtio_hw *hw = dev->data->dev_private;
+
+	hw->special_buf = buf;
+	dev->tx_pkt_burst(txvq, buf, count);
+}
+
 /*
  * Process Virtio Config changed interrupt and call the callback
  * if link state changed.
@@ -1786,6 +1826,8 @@ static int eth_virtio_pci_remove(struct rte_pci_device *pci_dev)
 			return -EBUSY;
 		}
 
+	rte_spinlock_init(&hw->state_lock);
+
 	hw->use_simple_rx = 1;
 	hw->use_simple_tx = 1;
 
@@ -1952,12 +1994,14 @@ static void virtio_dev_free_mbufs(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
 
 	PMD_INIT_LOG(DEBUG, "stop");
 
+	rte_spinlock_lock(&hw->state_lock);
 	if (intr_conf->lsc || intr_conf->rxq)
 		virtio_intr_disable(dev);
 
 	hw->started = 0;
 	memset(&link, 0, sizeof(link));
 	virtio_dev_atomic_write_link_status(dev, &link);
+	rte_spinlock_unlock(&hw->state_lock);
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.h b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.h
index 2039bc5..e973de3 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.h
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_ethdev.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include "virtio_pci.h"
+#include "virtio_rxtx.h"
 
 #define SPEED_10	10
 #define SPEED_100	100
@@ -121,4 +122,9 @@ uint16_t virtio_xmit_pkts_simple(void *tx_queue, struct rte_mbuf **tx_pkts,
 
 void virtio_interrupt_handler(void *param);
 
+int virtio_dev_pause(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
+void virtio_dev_resume(struct rte_eth_dev *dev);
+void virtio_inject_pkts(struct rte_eth_dev *dev,
+		struct virtnet_tx *txvq, struct rte_mbuf **buf, int count);
+
 #endif /* _VIRTIO_ETHDEV_H_ */
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_pci.h b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_pci.h
index 3c5ce66..8d91320 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_pci.h
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_pci.h
@@ -270,6 +270,13 @@ struct virtio_hw {
 	struct virtio_pci_common_cfg *common_cfg;
 	struct virtio_net_config *dev_cfg;
 	void	    *virtio_user_dev;
+	/*
+	 * App management thread and virtio interrupt handler thread
+	 * both can change the 'started' flag, this lock is meant to
+	 * avoid such a contention.
+	 */
+	rte_spinlock_t state_lock;
+	struct rte_mbuf **special_buf;
 
 	struct virtqueue **vqs;
 };
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx.c
index 6a24fde..1438f05 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx.c
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@
 	uint16_t nb_used, nb_tx = 0;
 	int error;
 
-	if (unlikely(hw->started == 0))
+	if (unlikely(hw->started == 0) && tx_pkts != hw->special_buf)
 		return nb_tx;
 
 	if (unlikely(nb_pkts < 1))
diff --git a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.c b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.c
index b5bc1c4..b3f5d2e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.c
+++ b/drivers/net/virtio/virtio_rxtx_simple.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ int __attribute__((cold))
 	uint16_t desc_idx_max = (vq->vq_nentries >> 1) - 1;
 	uint16_t nb_tx = 0;
 
-	if (unlikely(hw->started == 0))
+	if (unlikely(hw->started == 0) && tx_pkts != hw->special_buf)
 		return nb_tx;
 
 	nb_used = VIRTQUEUE_NUSED(vq);
