diff --git a/backends/hostmem.c b/backends/hostmem.c
index 8dede4d..ac80257 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem.c
@@ -264,6 +264,16 @@ host_memory_backend_get_memory(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
     return memory_region_size(&backend->mr) ? &backend->mr : NULL;
 }
 
+void host_memory_backend_set_mapped(HostMemoryBackend *backend, bool mapped)
+{
+    backend->is_mapped = mapped;
+}
+
+bool host_memory_backend_is_mapped(HostMemoryBackend *backend)
+{
+    return backend->is_mapped;
+}
+
 static void
 host_memory_backend_memory_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
 {
@@ -341,10 +351,7 @@ host_memory_backend_memory_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
 static bool
 host_memory_backend_can_be_deleted(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
 {
-    MemoryRegion *mr;
-
-    mr = host_memory_backend_get_memory(MEMORY_BACKEND(uc), errp);
-    if (memory_region_is_mapped(mr)) {
+    if (host_memory_backend_is_mapped(MEMORY_BACKEND(uc))) {
         return false;
     } else {
         return true;
diff --git a/hw/mem/pc-dimm.c b/hw/mem/pc-dimm.c
index 249193a..9e8dab0 100644
--- a/hw/mem/pc-dimm.c
+++ b/hw/mem/pc-dimm.c
@@ -369,14 +369,9 @@ static void pc_dimm_get_size(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
 static void pc_dimm_check_memdev_is_busy(Object *obj, const char *name,
                                       Object *val, Error **errp)
 {
-    MemoryRegion *mr;
     Error *local_err = NULL;
 
-    mr = host_memory_backend_get_memory(MEMORY_BACKEND(val), &local_err);
-    if (local_err) {
-        goto out;
-    }
-    if (memory_region_is_mapped(mr)) {
+    if (host_memory_backend_is_mapped(MEMORY_BACKEND(val))) {
         char *path = object_get_canonical_path_component(val);
         error_setg(&local_err, "can't use already busy memdev: %s", path);
         g_free(path);
@@ -384,7 +379,6 @@ static void pc_dimm_check_memdev_is_busy(Object *obj, const char *name,
         qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize(obj, name, val, &local_err);
     }
 
-out:
     error_propagate(errp, local_err);
 }
 
@@ -421,6 +415,15 @@ static void pc_dimm_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
     if (ddc->realize) {
         ddc->realize(dimm, errp);
     }
+
+    host_memory_backend_set_mapped(dimm->hostmem, true);
+}
+
+static void pc_dimm_unrealize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
+{
+    PCDIMMDevice *dimm = PC_DIMM(dev);
+
+    host_memory_backend_set_mapped(dimm->hostmem, false);
 }
 
 static MemoryRegion *pc_dimm_get_memory_region(PCDIMMDevice *dimm)
@@ -439,6 +442,7 @@ static void pc_dimm_class_init(ObjectClass *oc, void *data)
     PCDIMMDeviceClass *ddc = PC_DIMM_CLASS(oc);
 
     dc->realize = pc_dimm_realize;
+    dc->unrealize = pc_dimm_unrealize;
     dc->props = pc_dimm_properties;
     dc->desc = "DIMM memory module";
 
diff --git a/hw/misc/ivshmem.c b/hw/misc/ivshmem.c
index c4dde3a..7e7c843 100644
--- a/hw/misc/ivshmem.c
+++ b/hw/misc/ivshmem.c
@@ -1008,10 +1008,7 @@ static const TypeInfo ivshmem_common_info = {
 static void ivshmem_check_memdev_is_busy(Object *obj, const char *name,
                                          Object *val, Error **errp)
 {
-    MemoryRegion *mr;
-
-    mr = host_memory_backend_get_memory(MEMORY_BACKEND(val), &error_abort);
-    if (memory_region_is_mapped(mr)) {
+    if (host_memory_backend_is_mapped(MEMORY_BACKEND(val))) {
         char *path = object_get_canonical_path_component(val);
         error_setg(errp, "can't use already busy memdev: %s", path);
         g_free(path);
@@ -1060,6 +1057,14 @@ static void ivshmem_plain_realize(PCIDevice *dev, Error **errp)
     }
 
     ivshmem_common_realize(dev, errp);
+    host_memory_backend_set_mapped(s->hostmem, true);
+}
+
+static void ivshmem_plain_exit(PCIDevice *pci_dev)
+{
+    IVShmemState *s = IVSHMEM_COMMON(pci_dev);
+
+    host_memory_backend_set_mapped(s->hostmem, false);
 }
 
 static void ivshmem_plain_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
@@ -1068,6 +1073,7 @@ static void ivshmem_plain_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
     PCIDeviceClass *k = PCI_DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
 
     k->realize = ivshmem_plain_realize;
+    k->exit = ivshmem_plain_exit;
     dc->props = ivshmem_plain_properties;
     dc->vmsd = &ivshmem_plain_vmsd;
 }
diff --git a/include/sysemu/hostmem.h b/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
index 4d6617e..c903404 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/hostmem.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ struct HostMemoryBackend {
     /* protected */
     uint64_t size;
     bool merge, dump;
-    bool prealloc, force_prealloc;
+    bool prealloc, force_prealloc, is_mapped;
     DECLARE_BITMAP(host_nodes, MAX_NODES + 1);
     HostMemPolicy policy;
 
@@ -63,4 +63,6 @@ struct HostMemoryBackend {
 MemoryRegion *host_memory_backend_get_memory(HostMemoryBackend *backend,
                                              Error **errp);
 
+void host_memory_backend_set_mapped(HostMemoryBackend *backend, bool mapped);
+bool host_memory_backend_is_mapped(HostMemoryBackend *backend);
 #endif
