diff --git a/lib/librte_vhost/rte_vhost.h b/lib/librte_vhost/rte_vhost.h
index c9c392975..8ab4ff299 100644
--- a/lib/librte_vhost/rte_vhost.h
+++ b/lib/librte_vhost/rte_vhost.h
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ enum rte_vhost_msg_result {
 	RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_OK =  0,
 	/* Message handling successful and reply prepared */
 	RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_REPLY =  1,
+	/* Message not handled */
+	RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_NOT_HANDLED,
 };
 
 /**
@@ -131,37 +133,20 @@ enum rte_vhost_msg_result {
  *  vhost device id
  * @param msg
  *  Message pointer.
- * @param skip_master
- *  If the handler requires skipping the master message handling, this variable
- *  shall be written 1, otherwise 0.
  * @return
- *  VH_RESULT_OK on success, VH_RESULT_REPLY on success with reply,
- *  VH_RESULT_ERR on failure
+ *  RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_OK on success,
+ *  RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_REPLY on success with reply,
+ *  RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR on failure,
+ *  RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_NOT_HANDLED if message was not handled.
  */
-typedef enum rte_vhost_msg_result (*rte_vhost_msg_pre_handle)(int vid,
-		void *msg, uint32_t *skip_master);
-
-/**
- * Function prototype for the vhost backend to handler specific vhost user
- * messages after the master message handling is done
- *
- * @param vid
- *  vhost device id
- * @param msg
- *  Message pointer.
- * @return
- *  VH_RESULT_OK on success, VH_RESULT_REPLY on success with reply,
- *  VH_RESULT_ERR on failure
- */
-typedef enum rte_vhost_msg_result (*rte_vhost_msg_post_handle)(int vid,
-		void *msg);
+typedef enum rte_vhost_msg_result (*rte_vhost_msg_handle)(int vid, void *msg);
 
 /**
  * Optional vhost user message handlers.
  */
 struct rte_vhost_user_extern_ops {
-	rte_vhost_msg_pre_handle pre_msg_handle;
-	rte_vhost_msg_post_handle post_msg_handle;
+	rte_vhost_msg_handle pre_msg_handle;
+	rte_vhost_msg_handle post_msg_handle;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_crypto.c b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_crypto.c
index 0f437c4a1..9b4b850e8 100644
--- a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_crypto.c
+++ b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_crypto.c
@@ -453,14 +453,20 @@ vhost_crypto_msg_post_handler(int vid, void *msg)
 		return RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR;
 	}
 
-	if (vmsg->request.master == VHOST_USER_CRYPTO_CREATE_SESS) {
+	switch (vmsg->request.master) {
+	case VHOST_USER_CRYPTO_CREATE_SESS:
 		vhost_crypto_create_sess(vcrypto,
 				&vmsg->payload.crypto_session);
 		vmsg->fd_num = 0;
 		ret = RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_REPLY;
-	} else if (vmsg->request.master == VHOST_USER_CRYPTO_CLOSE_SESS) {
+		break;
+	case VHOST_USER_CRYPTO_CLOSE_SESS:
 		if (vhost_crypto_close_sess(vcrypto, vmsg->payload.u64))
 			ret = RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR;
+		break;
+	default:
+		ret = RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_NOT_HANDLED;
+		break;
 	}
 
 	return ret;
diff --git a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
index 555d09ad9..39756fce7 100644
--- a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
+++ b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
@@ -1910,7 +1910,7 @@ vhost_user_msg_handler(int vid, int fd)
 	int did = -1;
 	int ret;
 	int unlock_required = 0;
-	uint32_t skip_master = 0;
+	bool handled;
 	int request;
 
 	dev = get_device(vid);
@@ -1928,27 +1928,30 @@ vhost_user_msg_handler(int vid, int fd)
 	}
 
 	ret = read_vhost_message(fd, &msg);
-	if (ret <= 0 || msg.request.master >= VHOST_USER_MAX) {
+	if (ret <= 0) {
 		if (ret < 0)
 			RTE_LOG(ERR, VHOST_CONFIG,
 				"vhost read message failed\n");
-		else if (ret == 0)
+		else
 			RTE_LOG(INFO, VHOST_CONFIG,
 				"vhost peer closed\n");
-		else
-			RTE_LOG(ERR, VHOST_CONFIG,
-				"vhost read incorrect message\n");
 
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	ret = 0;
-	if (msg.request.master != VHOST_USER_IOTLB_MSG)
-		RTE_LOG(INFO, VHOST_CONFIG, "read message %s\n",
-			vhost_message_str[msg.request.master]);
-	else
-		RTE_LOG(DEBUG, VHOST_CONFIG, "read message %s\n",
-			vhost_message_str[msg.request.master]);
+	request = msg.request.master;
+	if (request > VHOST_USER_NONE && request < VHOST_USER_MAX &&
+			vhost_message_str[request]) {
+		if (request != VHOST_USER_IOTLB_MSG)
+			RTE_LOG(INFO, VHOST_CONFIG, "read message %s\n",
+				vhost_message_str[request]);
+		else
+			RTE_LOG(DEBUG, VHOST_CONFIG, "read message %s\n",
+				vhost_message_str[request]);
+	} else {
+		RTE_LOG(DEBUG, VHOST_CONFIG, "External request %d\n", request);
+	}
 
 	ret = vhost_user_check_and_alloc_queue_pair(dev, &msg);
 	if (ret < 0) {
@@ -1964,7 +1967,7 @@ vhost_user_msg_handler(int vid, int fd)
 	 * inactive, so it is safe. Otherwise taking the access_lock
 	 * would cause a dead lock.
 	 */
-	switch (msg.request.master) {
+	switch (request) {
 	case VHOST_USER_SET_FEATURES:
 	case VHOST_USER_SET_PROTOCOL_FEATURES:
 	case VHOST_USER_SET_OWNER:
@@ -1989,19 +1992,24 @@ vhost_user_msg_handler(int vid, int fd)
 
 	}
 
+	handled = false;
 	if (dev->extern_ops.pre_msg_handle) {
 		ret = (*dev->extern_ops.pre_msg_handle)(dev->vid,
-				(void *)&msg, &skip_master);
-		if (ret == RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR)
-			goto skip_to_reply;
-		else if (ret == RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_REPLY)
+				(void *)&msg);
+		switch (ret) {
+		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_REPLY:
 			send_vhost_reply(fd, &msg);
-
-		if (skip_master)
+			/* Fall-through */
+		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR:
+		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_OK:
+			handled = true;
 			goto skip_to_post_handle;
+		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_NOT_HANDLED:
+		default:
+			break;
+		}
 	}
 
-	request = msg.request.master;
 	if (request > VHOST_USER_NONE && request < VHOST_USER_MAX) {
 		if (!vhost_message_handlers[request])
 			goto skip_to_post_handle;
@@ -2012,40 +2020,54 @@ vhost_user_msg_handler(int vid, int fd)
 			RTE_LOG(ERR, VHOST_CONFIG,
 				"Processing %s failed.\n",
 				vhost_message_str[request]);
+			handled = true;
 			break;
 		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_OK:
 			RTE_LOG(DEBUG, VHOST_CONFIG,
 				"Processing %s succeeded.\n",
 				vhost_message_str[request]);
+			handled = true;
 			break;
 		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_REPLY:
 			RTE_LOG(DEBUG, VHOST_CONFIG,
 				"Processing %s succeeded and needs reply.\n",
 				vhost_message_str[request]);
 			send_vhost_reply(fd, &msg);
+			handled = true;
+			break;
+		default:
 			break;
 		}
-	} else {
-		RTE_LOG(ERR, VHOST_CONFIG,
-			"Requested invalid message type %d.\n", request);
-		ret = RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR;
 	}
 
 skip_to_post_handle:
 	if (ret != RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR &&
 			dev->extern_ops.post_msg_handle) {
-		ret = (*dev->extern_ops.post_msg_handle)(
-				dev->vid, (void *)&msg);
-		if (ret == RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR)
-			goto skip_to_reply;
-		else if (ret == RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_REPLY)
+		ret = (*dev->extern_ops.post_msg_handle)(dev->vid,
+				(void *)&msg);
+		switch (ret) {
+		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_REPLY:
 			send_vhost_reply(fd, &msg);
+			/* Fall-through */
+		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR:
+		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_OK:
+			handled = true;
+		case RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_NOT_HANDLED:
+		default:
+			break;
+		}
 	}
 
-skip_to_reply:
 	if (unlock_required)
 		vhost_user_unlock_all_queue_pairs(dev);
 
+	/* If message was not handled at this stage, treat it as an error */
+	if (!handled) {
+		RTE_LOG(ERR, VHOST_CONFIG,
+			"vhost message (req: %d) was not handled.\n", request);
+		ret = RTE_VHOST_MSG_RESULT_ERR;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * If the request required a reply that was already sent,
 	 * this optional reply-ack won't be sent as the
