diff --git a/exec.c b/exec.c
index b647512..69003c2 100644
--- a/exec.c
+++ b/exec.c
@@ -530,21 +530,6 @@ void cpu_exec_init_all(unsigned long tb_size)
 
 #if defined(CPU_SAVE_VERSION) && !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
 
-static void cpu_common_pre_save(void *opaque)
-{
-    CPUState *env = opaque;
-
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
-}
-
-static int cpu_common_pre_load(void *opaque)
-{
-    CPUState *env = opaque;
-
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
-    return 0;
-}
-
 static int cpu_common_post_load(void *opaque, int version_id)
 {
     CPUState *env = opaque;
@@ -562,8 +547,6 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_cpu_common = {
     .version_id = 1,
     .minimum_version_id = 1,
     .minimum_version_id_old = 1,
-    .pre_save = cpu_common_pre_save,
-    .pre_load = cpu_common_pre_load,
     .post_load = cpu_common_post_load,
     .fields      = (VMStateField []) {
         VMSTATE_UINT32(halted, CPUState),
diff --git a/hw/apic.c b/hw/apic.c
index ae805dc..3e03e10 100644
--- a/hw/apic.c
+++ b/hw/apic.c
@@ -488,7 +488,6 @@ void apic_init_reset(CPUState *env)
     if (!s)
         return;
 
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
     s->tpr = 0;
     s->spurious_vec = 0xff;
     s->log_dest = 0;
@@ -1070,8 +1069,6 @@ static void apic_reset(void *opaque)
     APICState *s = opaque;
     int bsp;
 
-    cpu_synchronize_state(s->cpu_env);
-
     bsp = cpu_is_bsp(s->cpu_env);
     s->apicbase = 0xfee00000 |
         (bsp ? MSR_IA32_APICBASE_BSP : 0) | MSR_IA32_APICBASE_ENABLE;
diff --git a/hw/pc.c b/hw/pc.c
index 67af649..b90a79e 100644
--- a/hw/pc.c
+++ b/hw/pc.c
@@ -779,7 +779,6 @@ CPUState *pc_new_cpu(const char *cpu_model)
         fprintf(stderr, "Unable to find x86 CPU definition\n");
         exit(1);
     }
-    env->kvm_vcpu_dirty = 1;
     if ((env->cpuid_features & CPUID_APIC) || smp_cpus > 1) {
         env->cpuid_apic_id = env->cpu_index;
         /* APIC reset callback resets cpu */
diff --git a/hw/ppc_newworld.c b/hw/ppc_newworld.c
index bc86c85..d4f9013 100644
--- a/hw/ppc_newworld.c
+++ b/hw/ppc_newworld.c
@@ -167,9 +167,6 @@ static void ppc_core99_init (ram_addr_t ram_size,
         envs[i] = env;
     }
 
-    /* Make sure all register sets take effect */
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
-
     /* allocate RAM */
     ram_offset = qemu_ram_alloc(ram_size);
     cpu_register_physical_memory(0, ram_size, ram_offset);
diff --git a/hw/ppc_oldworld.c b/hw/ppc_oldworld.c
index 04a7835..93c95ba 100644
--- a/hw/ppc_oldworld.c
+++ b/hw/ppc_oldworld.c
@@ -165,9 +165,6 @@ static void ppc_heathrow_init (ram_addr_t ram_size,
         envs[i] = env;
     }
 
-    /* Make sure all register sets take effect */
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
-
     /* allocate RAM */
     if (ram_size > (2047 << 20)) {
         fprintf(stderr,
diff --git a/hw/s390-virtio.c b/hw/s390-virtio.c
index 3582728..ad3386f 100644
--- a/hw/s390-virtio.c
+++ b/hw/s390-virtio.c
@@ -185,7 +185,6 @@ static void s390_init(ram_addr_t ram_size,
             exit(1);
         }
 
-        cpu_synchronize_state(env);
         env->psw.addr = KERN_IMAGE_START;
         env->psw.mask = 0x0000000180000000ULL;
     }
diff --git a/kvm-all.c b/kvm-all.c
index 06708a5..7bb3f7b 100644
--- a/kvm-all.c
+++ b/kvm-all.c
@@ -156,10 +156,6 @@ static void kvm_reset_vcpu(void *opaque)
     CPUState *env = opaque;
 
     kvm_arch_reset_vcpu(env);
-    if (kvm_arch_put_registers(env)) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Fatal: kvm vcpu reset failed\n");
-        abort();
-    }
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -216,7 +212,6 @@ int kvm_init_vcpu(CPUState *env)
     if (ret == 0) {
         qemu_register_reset(kvm_reset_vcpu, env);
         kvm_arch_reset_vcpu(env);
-        ret = kvm_arch_put_registers(env);
     }
 err:
     return ret;
@@ -770,6 +765,18 @@ void kvm_cpu_synchronize_state(CPUState *env)
     }
 }
 
+void kvm_cpu_synchronize_post_reset(CPUState *env)
+{
+    kvm_arch_put_registers(env, KVM_PUT_RESET_STATE);
+    env->kvm_vcpu_dirty = 0;
+}
+
+void kvm_cpu_synchronize_post_init(CPUState *env)
+{
+    kvm_arch_put_registers(env, KVM_PUT_FULL_STATE);
+    env->kvm_vcpu_dirty = 0;
+}
+
 int kvm_cpu_exec(CPUState *env)
 {
     struct kvm_run *run = env->kvm_run;
@@ -785,7 +792,7 @@ int kvm_cpu_exec(CPUState *env)
         }
 
         if (env->kvm_vcpu_dirty) {
-            kvm_arch_put_registers(env);
+            kvm_arch_put_registers(env, KVM_PUT_RUNTIME_STATE);
             env->kvm_vcpu_dirty = 0;
         }
 
diff --git a/kvm.h b/kvm.h
index 888dfcb..874506b 100644
--- a/kvm.h
+++ b/kvm.h
@@ -87,7 +87,14 @@ int kvm_arch_pre_run(CPUState *env, struct kvm_run *run);
 
 int kvm_arch_get_registers(CPUState *env);
 
-int kvm_arch_put_registers(CPUState *env);
+/* state subset only touched by the VCPU itself during runtime */
+#define KVM_PUT_RUNTIME_STATE   1
+/* state subset modified during VCPU reset */
+#define KVM_PUT_RESET_STATE     2
+/* full state set, modified during initialization or on vmload */
+#define KVM_PUT_FULL_STATE      3
+
+int kvm_arch_put_registers(CPUState *env, int level);
 
 int kvm_arch_init(KVMState *s, int smp_cpus);
 
@@ -131,6 +138,8 @@ int kvm_check_extension(KVMState *s, unsigned int extension);
 uint32_t kvm_arch_get_supported_cpuid(CPUState *env, uint32_t function,
                                       int reg);
 void kvm_cpu_synchronize_state(CPUState *env);
+void kvm_cpu_synchronize_post_reset(CPUState *env);
+void kvm_cpu_synchronize_post_init(CPUState *env);
 
 /* generic hooks - to be moved/refactored once there are more users */
 
@@ -141,4 +150,18 @@ static inline void cpu_synchronize_state(CPUState *env)
     }
 }
 
+static inline void cpu_synchronize_post_reset(CPUState *env)
+{
+    if (kvm_enabled()) {
+        kvm_cpu_synchronize_post_reset(env);
+    }
+}
+
+static inline void cpu_synchronize_post_init(CPUState *env)
+{
+    if (kvm_enabled()) {
+        kvm_cpu_synchronize_post_init(env);
+    }
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/qemu-kvm-ia64.c b/qemu-kvm-ia64.c
index a11fde8..fc8110e 100644
--- a/qemu-kvm-ia64.c
+++ b/qemu-kvm-ia64.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ int kvm_arch_qemu_create_context(void)
     return 0;
 }
 
-void kvm_arch_load_regs(CPUState *env)
+void kvm_arch_load_regs(CPUState *env, int level)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/qemu-kvm-x86.c b/qemu-kvm-x86.c
index 5db95f8..47667b3 100644
--- a/qemu-kvm-x86.c
+++ b/qemu-kvm-x86.c
@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ static void get_seg(SegmentCache *lhs, const struct kvm_segment *rhs)
 	| (rhs->avl * DESC_AVL_MASK);
 }
 
-void kvm_arch_load_regs(CPUState *env)
+void kvm_arch_load_regs(CPUState *env, int level)
 {
     struct kvm_regs regs;
     struct kvm_fpu fpu;
@@ -1362,7 +1362,6 @@ void kvm_arch_push_nmi(void *opaque)
 void kvm_arch_cpu_reset(CPUState *env)
 {
     kvm_arch_reset_vcpu(env);
-    kvm_arch_load_regs(env);
     kvm_put_vcpu_events(env);
     if (!cpu_is_bsp(env)) {
 	if (kvm_irqchip_in_kernel()) {
diff --git a/qemu-kvm.c b/qemu-kvm.c
index 29365a9..365bb37 100644
--- a/qemu-kvm.c
+++ b/qemu-kvm.c
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ int pre_kvm_run(kvm_context_t kvm, CPUState *env)
     kvm_arch_pre_run(env, env->kvm_run);
 
     if (env->kvm_vcpu_dirty) {
-        kvm_arch_load_regs(env);
+        kvm_arch_load_regs(env, KVM_PUT_RUNTIME_STATE);
         env->kvm_vcpu_dirty = 0;
     }
 
@@ -1529,6 +1529,18 @@ void kvm_cpu_synchronize_state(CPUState *env)
         on_vcpu(env, do_kvm_cpu_synchronize_state, env);
 }
 
+void kvm_cpu_synchronize_post_reset(CPUState *env)
+{
+    kvm_arch_load_regs(env, KVM_PUT_RESET_STATE);
+    env->kvm_vcpu_dirty = 0;
+}
+
+void kvm_cpu_synchronize_post_init(CPUState *env)
+{
+    kvm_arch_load_regs(env, KVM_PUT_FULL_STATE);
+    env->kvm_vcpu_dirty = 0;
+}
+
 static void inject_interrupt(void *data)
 {
     cpu_interrupt(current_env, (long) data);
@@ -1874,8 +1886,6 @@ static void *ap_main_loop(void *_env)
 
     kvm_arch_init_vcpu(env);
 
-    kvm_arch_load_regs(env);
-
     /* signal VCPU creation */
     current_env->created = 1;
     pthread_cond_signal(&qemu_vcpu_cond);
diff --git a/qemu-kvm.h b/qemu-kvm.h
index ed00665..94b6763 100644
--- a/qemu-kvm.h
+++ b/qemu-kvm.h
@@ -893,7 +893,7 @@ int kvm_qemu_destroy_memory_alias(uint64_t phys_start);
 int kvm_arch_qemu_create_context(void);
 
 void kvm_arch_save_regs(CPUState *env);
-void kvm_arch_load_regs(CPUState *env);
+void kvm_arch_load_regs(CPUState *env, int level);
 void kvm_arch_load_mpstate(CPUState *env);
 void kvm_arch_save_mpstate(CPUState *env);
 int kvm_arch_has_work(CPUState *env);
diff --git a/savevm.c b/savevm.c
index 2fd3de6..f1e675c 100644
--- a/savevm.c
+++ b/savevm.c
@@ -1368,6 +1368,8 @@ int qemu_savevm_state_complete(Monitor *mon, QEMUFile *f)
 {
     SaveStateEntry *se;
 
+    cpu_synchronize_all_states();
+
     QTAILQ_FOREACH(se, &savevm_handlers, entry) {
         if (se->save_live_state == NULL)
             continue;
@@ -1568,6 +1570,8 @@ int qemu_loadvm_state(QEMUFile *f)
         }
     }
 
+    cpu_synchronize_all_post_init();
+
     ret = 0;
 
 out:
diff --git a/sysemu.h b/sysemu.h
index 647a468..01405e1 100644
--- a/sysemu.h
+++ b/sysemu.h
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ int load_vmstate(Monitor *mon, const char *name);
 void do_delvm(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict);
 void do_info_snapshots(Monitor *mon);
 
+void cpu_synchronize_all_states(void);
+void cpu_synchronize_all_post_reset(void);
+void cpu_synchronize_all_post_init(void);
+
 void qemu_announce_self(void);
 
 void main_loop_wait(int timeout);
diff --git a/target-i386/kvm.c b/target-i386/kvm.c
index dd636f1..23729ef 100644
--- a/target-i386/kvm.c
+++ b/target-i386/kvm.c
@@ -893,7 +893,7 @@ static int kvm_guest_debug_workarounds(CPUState *env)
 }
 
 #ifdef KVM_UPSTREAM
-int kvm_arch_put_registers(CPUState *env)
+int kvm_arch_put_registers(CPUState *env, int level)
 {
     int ret;
 
diff --git a/target-i386/machine.c b/target-i386/machine.c
index 0b8a33a..bebde82 100644
--- a/target-i386/machine.c
+++ b/target-i386/machine.c
@@ -322,7 +322,6 @@ static void cpu_pre_save(void *opaque)
     CPUState *env = opaque;
     int i;
 
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
     if (kvm_enabled()) {
         kvm_save_mpstate(env);
         kvm_get_vcpu_events(env);
@@ -342,14 +341,6 @@ static void cpu_pre_save(void *opaque)
 #endif
 }
 
-static int cpu_pre_load(void *opaque)
-{
-    CPUState *env = opaque;
-
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
-    return 0;
-}
-
 static int cpu_post_load(void *opaque, int version_id)
 {
     CPUState *env = opaque;
@@ -389,7 +380,6 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_cpu = {
     .minimum_version_id = 3,
     .minimum_version_id_old = 3,
     .pre_save = cpu_pre_save,
-    .pre_load = cpu_pre_load,
     .post_load = cpu_post_load,
     .fields      = (VMStateField []) {
         VMSTATE_UINTTL_ARRAY(regs, CPUState, CPU_NB_REGS),
diff --git a/target-ia64/machine.c b/target-ia64/machine.c
index 7d29575..fdbeeef 100644
--- a/target-ia64/machine.c
+++ b/target-ia64/machine.c
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ void cpu_save(QEMUFile *f, void *opaque)
     CPUState *env = opaque;
 
     if (kvm_enabled()) {
-        kvm_arch_save_regs(env);
         kvm_arch_save_mpstate(env);
     }
 }
@@ -19,7 +18,6 @@ int cpu_load(QEMUFile *f, void *opaque, int version_id)
     CPUState *env = opaque;
 
     if (kvm_enabled()) {
-        kvm_arch_load_regs(env);
         kvm_arch_load_mpstate(env);
     }
     return 0;
diff --git a/target-ppc/kvm.c b/target-ppc/kvm.c
index 8ad0037..aa3d432 100644
--- a/target-ppc/kvm.c
+++ b/target-ppc/kvm.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ void kvm_arch_reset_vcpu(CPUState *env)
 {
 }
 
-int kvm_arch_put_registers(CPUState *env)
+int kvm_arch_put_registers(CPUState *env, int level)
 {
     struct kvm_regs regs;
     int ret;
diff --git a/target-ppc/machine.c b/target-ppc/machine.c
index ead38e1..81d3f72 100644
--- a/target-ppc/machine.c
+++ b/target-ppc/machine.c
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ void cpu_save(QEMUFile *f, void *opaque)
     CPUState *env = (CPUState *)opaque;
     unsigned int i, j;
 
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
-
     for (i = 0; i < 32; i++)
         qemu_put_betls(f, &env->gpr[i]);
 #if !defined(TARGET_PPC64)
@@ -97,8 +95,6 @@ int cpu_load(QEMUFile *f, void *opaque, int version_id)
     CPUState *env = (CPUState *)opaque;
     unsigned int i, j;
 
-    cpu_synchronize_state(env);
-
     for (i = 0; i < 32; i++)
         qemu_get_betls(f, &env->gpr[i]);
 #if !defined(TARGET_PPC64)
diff --git a/target-s390x/kvm.c b/target-s390x/kvm.c
index 0199a65..72e77b0 100644
--- a/target-s390x/kvm.c
+++ b/target-s390x/kvm.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ void kvm_arch_reset_vcpu(CPUState *env)
     /* FIXME: add code to reset vcpu. */
 }
 
-int kvm_arch_put_registers(CPUState *env)
+int kvm_arch_put_registers(CPUState *env, int level)
 {
     struct kvm_regs regs;
     int ret;
@@ -296,7 +296,6 @@ static int handle_hypercall(CPUState *env, struct kvm_run *run)
 
     cpu_synchronize_state(env);
     r = s390_virtio_hypercall(env);
-    kvm_arch_put_registers(env);
 
     return r;
 }
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 729c955..8847b70 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -3031,6 +3031,33 @@ static void nographic_update(void *opaque)
     qemu_mod_timer(nographic_timer, interval + qemu_get_clock(rt_clock));
 }
 
+void cpu_synchronize_all_states(void)
+{
+    CPUState *cpu;
+
+    for (cpu = first_cpu; cpu; cpu = cpu->next_cpu) {
+        cpu_synchronize_state(cpu);
+    }
+}
+
+void cpu_synchronize_all_post_reset(void)
+{
+    CPUState *cpu;
+
+    for (cpu = first_cpu; cpu; cpu = cpu->next_cpu) {
+        cpu_synchronize_post_reset(cpu);
+    }
+}
+
+void cpu_synchronize_all_post_init(void)
+{
+    CPUState *cpu;
+
+    for (cpu = first_cpu; cpu; cpu = cpu->next_cpu) {
+        cpu_synchronize_post_init(cpu);
+    }
+}
+
 struct vm_change_state_entry {
     VMChangeStateHandler *cb;
     void *opaque;
@@ -3179,6 +3206,7 @@ void qemu_system_reset(void)
     QTAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(re, &reset_handlers, entry, nre) {
         re->func(re->opaque);
     }
+    cpu_synchronize_all_post_reset();
 }
 
 void qemu_system_reset_request(void)
@@ -6030,6 +6058,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     machine->init(ram_size, boot_devices,
                   kernel_filename, kernel_cmdline, initrd_filename, cpu_model);
 
+    cpu_synchronize_all_post_init();
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
     /* must be after terminal init, SDL library changes signal handlers */
