diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl.h b/tools/libxl/libxl.h
index 1cd6c38e83..1ea5b4f446 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl.h
@@ -438,6 +438,12 @@
  */
 #define LIBXL_HAVE_CREATEINFO_PASSTHROUGH 1
 
+/*
+ * LIBXL_HAVE_DISK_SAFE_REMOVE indicates that the
+ * libxl_device_disk_safe_remove() function is defined.
+ */
+#define LIBXL_HAVE_DISK_SAFE_REMOVE 1
+
 /*
  * libxl ABI compatibility
  *
@@ -1936,6 +1942,15 @@ void libxl_vcpuinfo_list_free(libxl_vcpuinfo *, int nr_vcpus);
  *   structure is passed in are filled in with appropriate values for
  *   the device created.
  *
+ * libxl_device_<type>_destroy(ctx, domid, device):
+ *
+ *   Removes the given device from the specified domain without guest
+ *   co-operation. It is guest specific what affect this will have on
+ *   a running guest.
+ *
+ *   This function does not interact with the guest and therefore
+ *   cannot block on the guest.
+ *
  * libxl_device_<type>_remove(ctx, domid, device):
  *
  *   Removes the given device from the specified domain by performing
@@ -1943,16 +1958,14 @@ void libxl_vcpuinfo_list_free(libxl_vcpuinfo *, int nr_vcpus);
  *   guest is running.
  *
  *   This method is currently synchronous and therefore can block
- *   while interacting with the guest.
- *
- * libxl_device_<type>_destroy(ctx, domid, device):
+ *   while interacting with the guest. There is a time-out of 10s on
+ *   this interaction after which libxl_device_<type>_destroy()
+ *   semantics apply.
  *
- *   Removes the given device from the specified domain without guest
- *   co-operation. It is guest specific what affect this will have on
- *   a running guest.
+ * libxl_device_<type>_safe_remove(ctx, domid, device):
  *
- *   This function does not interact with the guest and therefore
- *   cannot block on the guest.
+ *   This has the same semantics as libxl_device_<type>_remove() but,
+ *   in the event of hitting the 10s time-out, this function will fail.
  *
  * Controllers
  * -----------
@@ -2033,6 +2046,10 @@ int libxl_device_disk_destroy(libxl_ctx *ctx, uint32_t domid,
                               libxl_device_disk *disk,
                               const libxl_asyncop_how *ao_how)
                               LIBXL_EXTERNAL_CALLERS_ONLY;
+int libxl_device_disk_safe_remove(libxl_ctx *ctx, uint32_t domid,
+                                  libxl_device_disk *disk,
+                                  const libxl_asyncop_how *ao_how)
+                                  LIBXL_EXTERNAL_CALLERS_ONLY;
 
 libxl_device_disk *libxl_device_disk_list(libxl_ctx *ctx,
                                           uint32_t domid, int *num)
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_device.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_device.c
index 0381c5d509..e081faf9a9 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_device.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_device.c
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ void libxl__initiate_device_generic_remove(libxl__egc *egc,
             goto out;
         }
 
-        if (aodev->force)
+        if (aodev->force.flag == LIBXL__FORCE_ON)
             libxl__xs_path_cleanup(gc, t,
                                    libxl__device_frontend_path(gc, aodev->dev));
 
@@ -1092,9 +1092,9 @@ static void device_backend_callback(libxl__egc *egc, libxl__ev_devstate *ds,
 
     if (rc == ERROR_TIMEDOUT &&
         aodev->action == LIBXL__DEVICE_ACTION_REMOVE &&
-        !aodev->force) {
+        aodev->force.flag == LIBXL__FORCE_AUTO) {
         LOGD(DEBUG, aodev->dev->domid, "Timeout reached, initiating forced remove");
-        aodev->force = 1;
+        aodev->force.flag = LIBXL__FORCE_ON;
         libxl__initiate_device_generic_remove(egc, aodev);
         return;
     }
@@ -1319,7 +1319,8 @@ static void device_hotplug_done(libxl__egc *egc, libxl__ao_device *aodev)
     device_hotplug_clean(gc, aodev);
 
     /* Clean xenstore if it's a disconnection */
-    if (aodev->action == LIBXL__DEVICE_ACTION_REMOVE) {
+    if (aodev->action == LIBXL__DEVICE_ACTION_REMOVE &&
+        (aodev->force.flag == LIBXL__FORCE_ON || !aodev->rc)) {
         rc = libxl__device_destroy(gc, aodev->dev);
         if (!aodev->rc)
             aodev->rc = rc;
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_disk.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_disk.c
index ddc1eec176..de183e0fb0 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_disk.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_disk.c
@@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ void libxl__device_disk_local_initiate_detach(libxl__egc *egc,
         aodev->action = LIBXL__DEVICE_ACTION_REMOVE;
         aodev->dev = device;
         aodev->callback = local_device_detach_cb;
-        aodev->force = 0;
+        aodev->force.flag = LIBXL__FORCE_AUTO;
         libxl__initiate_device_generic_remove(egc, aodev);
         return;
     }
@@ -1318,10 +1318,12 @@ out:
  * libxl__add_disks
  * libxl_device_disk_remove
  * libxl_device_disk_destroy
+ * libxl_device_disk_safe_remove
  */
 LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_ADD(disk)
 LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICES_ADD(disk)
 LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE(disk)
+LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_SAFE_REMOVE(disk)
 
 static int libxl_device_disk_compare(const libxl_device_disk *d1,
                                      const libxl_device_disk *d2)
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_domain.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_domain.c
index 39f08a6519..5d4ec90711 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_domain.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_domain.c
@@ -1279,7 +1279,7 @@ static void dm_destroy_cb(libxl__egc *egc,
     dis->drs.ao = ao;
     dis->drs.domid = domid;
     dis->drs.callback = devices_destroy_cb;
-    dis->drs.force = 1;
+    dis->drs.force.flag = LIBXL__FORCE_ON;
     libxl__devices_destroy(egc, &dis->drs);
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
index e16ae9630b..1fcf85c3e2 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
@@ -2730,12 +2730,20 @@ _hidden void libxl__prepare_ao_device(libxl__ao *ao, libxl__ao_device *aodev);
 /* generic callback for devices that only need to set ao_complete */
 _hidden void device_addrm_aocomplete(libxl__egc *egc, libxl__ao_device *aodev);
 
+typedef struct {
+    enum {
+        LIBXL__FORCE_AUTO, /* Re-execute with FORCE_ON if op times out */
+        LIBXL__FORCE_ON,
+        LIBXL__FORCE_OFF,
+    } flag;
+} libxl__force;
+
 struct libxl__ao_device {
     /* filled in by user */
     libxl__ao *ao;
     libxl__device_action action;
     libxl__device *dev;
-    int force;
+    libxl__force force;
     libxl__device_callback *callback;
     /* return value, zeroed by user on entry, is valid on callback */
     int rc;
@@ -3787,7 +3795,7 @@ _hidden void libxl__bootloader_run(libxl__egc*, libxl__bootloader_state *st);
         aodev->action = LIBXL__DEVICE_ACTION_REMOVE;                    \
         aodev->dev = device;                                            \
         aodev->callback = device_addrm_aocomplete;                      \
-        aodev->force = f;                                               \
+        aodev->force.flag = f;                                          \
         libxl__initiate_device_##remtype##_remove(egc, aodev);          \
                                                                         \
     out:                                                                \
@@ -3862,12 +3870,20 @@ _hidden void libxl__bootloader_run(libxl__egc*, libxl__bootloader_state *st);
 
 
 #define LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE(type)                                \
-    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, generic, remove, 0)            \
-    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, generic, destroy, 1)
+    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, generic, remove,               \
+                                   LIBXL__FORCE_AUTO)                   \
+    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, generic, destroy,              \
+                                   LIBXL__FORCE_ON)
 
 #define LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_CUSTOM(type)                         \
-    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, type, remove, 0)               \
-    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, type, destroy, 1)
+    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, type, remove,                  \
+                                   LIBXL__FORCE_AUTO)                   \
+    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, type, destroy,                 \
+                                   LIBXL__FORCE_ON)
+
+#define LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_SAFE_REMOVE(type)                           \
+    LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_REMOVE_EXT(type, generic, safe_remove,          \
+                                   LIBXL__FORCE_OFF)
 
 #define LIBXL_DEFINE_DEVICE_LIST(type)                                  \
     libxl_device_##type *libxl_device_##type##_list(libxl_ctx *ctx,     \
@@ -4028,7 +4044,7 @@ struct libxl__devices_remove_state {
     libxl__ao *ao;
     uint32_t domid;
     libxl__devices_remove_callback *callback;
-    int force; /* libxl_device_TYPE_destroy rather than _remove */
+    libxl__force force; /* libxl_device_TYPE_destroy rather than _remove */
     /* private */
     libxl__multidev multidev;
     int num_devices;
