diff --git a/include/qemu/main-loop.h b/include/qemu/main-loop.h
index c26ad2a029..5764db157c 100644
--- a/include/qemu/main-loop.h
+++ b/include/qemu/main-loop.h
@@ -371,17 +371,17 @@ G_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_CLEANUP_FUNC(BQLLockAuto, bql_auto_unlock)
         = bql_auto_lock(__FILE__, __LINE__)
 
 /*
- * qemu_cond_wait_iothread: Wait on condition for the main loop mutex
+ * qemu_cond_wait_bql: Wait on condition for the Big QEMU Lock (BQL)
  *
- * This function atomically releases the main loop mutex and causes
+ * This function atomically releases the Big QEMU Lock (BQL) and causes
  * the calling thread to block on the condition.
  */
-void qemu_cond_wait_iothread(QemuCond *cond);
+void qemu_cond_wait_bql(QemuCond *cond);
 
 /*
- * qemu_cond_timedwait_iothread: like the previous, but with timeout
+ * qemu_cond_timedwait_bql: like the previous, but with timeout
  */
-void qemu_cond_timedwait_iothread(QemuCond *cond, int ms);
+void qemu_cond_timedwait_bql(QemuCond *cond, int ms);
 
 /* internal interfaces */
 
diff --git a/accel/tcg/tcg-accel-ops-rr.c b/accel/tcg/tcg-accel-ops-rr.c
index c4ea372a3f..5794e5a9ce 100644
--- a/accel/tcg/tcg-accel-ops-rr.c
+++ b/accel/tcg/tcg-accel-ops-rr.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static void rr_wait_io_event(void)
 
     while (all_cpu_threads_idle()) {
         rr_stop_kick_timer();
-        qemu_cond_wait_iothread(first_cpu->halt_cond);
+        qemu_cond_wait_bql(first_cpu->halt_cond);
     }
 
     rr_start_kick_timer();
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ static void *rr_cpu_thread_fn(void *arg)
 
     /* wait for initial kick-off after machine start */
     while (first_cpu->stopped) {
-        qemu_cond_wait_iothread(first_cpu->halt_cond);
+        qemu_cond_wait_bql(first_cpu->halt_cond);
 
         /* process any pending work */
         CPU_FOREACH(cpu) {
diff --git a/hw/display/virtio-gpu.c b/hw/display/virtio-gpu.c
index b016d3bac8..67c5be1a4e 100644
--- a/hw/display/virtio-gpu.c
+++ b/hw/display/virtio-gpu.c
@@ -1512,7 +1512,7 @@ void virtio_gpu_reset(VirtIODevice *vdev)
         g->reset_finished = false;
         qemu_bh_schedule(g->reset_bh);
         while (!g->reset_finished) {
-            qemu_cond_wait_iothread(&g->reset_cond);
+            qemu_cond_wait_bql(&g->reset_cond);
         }
     } else {
         virtio_gpu_reset_bh(g);
diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
index deb4641505..cb0eeee587 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_events.c
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ void spapr_mce_req_event(PowerPCCPU *cpu, bool recovered)
             }
             return;
         }
-        qemu_cond_wait_iothread(&spapr->fwnmi_machine_check_interlock_cond);
+        qemu_cond_wait_bql(&spapr->fwnmi_machine_check_interlock_cond);
         if (spapr->fwnmi_machine_check_addr == -1) {
             /*
              * If the machine was reset while waiting for the interlock,
diff --git a/system/cpu-throttle.c b/system/cpu-throttle.c
index 786a9a5639..c951a6c65e 100644
--- a/system/cpu-throttle.c
+++ b/system/cpu-throttle.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ static void cpu_throttle_thread(CPUState *cpu, run_on_cpu_data opaque)
     endtime_ns = qemu_clock_get_ns(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME) + sleeptime_ns;
     while (sleeptime_ns > 0 && !cpu->stop) {
         if (sleeptime_ns > SCALE_MS) {
-            qemu_cond_timedwait_iothread(cpu->halt_cond,
+            qemu_cond_timedwait_bql(cpu->halt_cond,
                                          sleeptime_ns / SCALE_MS);
         } else {
             bql_unlock();
diff --git a/system/cpus.c b/system/cpus.c
index 9b68dc9c7c..c8e2772b5f 100644
--- a/system/cpus.c
+++ b/system/cpus.c
@@ -514,12 +514,12 @@ void bql_unlock(void)
     qemu_mutex_unlock(&bql);
 }
 
-void qemu_cond_wait_iothread(QemuCond *cond)
+void qemu_cond_wait_bql(QemuCond *cond)
 {
     qemu_cond_wait(cond, &bql);
 }
 
-void qemu_cond_timedwait_iothread(QemuCond *cond, int ms)
+void qemu_cond_timedwait_bql(QemuCond *cond, int ms)
 {
     qemu_cond_timedwait(cond, &bql, ms);
 }
diff --git a/target/i386/nvmm/nvmm-accel-ops.c b/target/i386/nvmm/nvmm-accel-ops.c
index f9d5e9a37a..6b2bfd9b9c 100644
--- a/target/i386/nvmm/nvmm-accel-ops.c
+++ b/target/i386/nvmm/nvmm-accel-ops.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static void *qemu_nvmm_cpu_thread_fn(void *arg)
             }
         }
         while (cpu_thread_is_idle(cpu)) {
-            qemu_cond_wait_iothread(cpu->halt_cond);
+            qemu_cond_wait_bql(cpu->halt_cond);
         }
         qemu_wait_io_event_common(cpu);
     } while (!cpu->unplug || cpu_can_run(cpu));
diff --git a/target/i386/whpx/whpx-accel-ops.c b/target/i386/whpx/whpx-accel-ops.c
index e783a760a7..189ae0f140 100644
--- a/target/i386/whpx/whpx-accel-ops.c
+++ b/target/i386/whpx/whpx-accel-ops.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static void *whpx_cpu_thread_fn(void *arg)
             }
         }
         while (cpu_thread_is_idle(cpu)) {
-            qemu_cond_wait_iothread(cpu->halt_cond);
+            qemu_cond_wait_bql(cpu->halt_cond);
         }
         qemu_wait_io_event_common(cpu);
     } while (!cpu->unplug || cpu_can_run(cpu));
