Index: head/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent.c
===================================================================
--- head/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent.c
+++ head/usr.sbin/bhyve/mevent.c
@@ -62,10 +62,11 @@
 
 #define	MEVENT_MAX	64
 
-#define	MEV_ADD		1
-#define	MEV_ENABLE	2
-#define	MEV_DISABLE	3
-#define	MEV_DEL_PENDING	4
+#define	MEV_ADD			1
+#define	MEV_ENABLE		2
+#define	MEV_DISABLE		3
+#define	MEV_DEL_PENDING		4
+#define	MEV_ADD_DISABLED	5
 
 extern char *vmname;
 
@@ -161,6 +162,9 @@
 	case MEV_ADD:
 		ret = EV_ADD;		/* implicitly enabled */
 		break;
+	case MEV_ADD_DISABLED:
+		ret = EV_ADD | EV_DISABLE;
+		break;
 	case MEV_ENABLE:
 		ret = EV_ENABLE;
 		break;
@@ -249,9 +253,10 @@
 	}
 }
 
-struct mevent *
-mevent_add(int tfd, enum ev_type type,
-	   void (*func)(int, enum ev_type, void *), void *param)
+static struct mevent *
+mevent_add_state(int tfd, enum ev_type type,
+	   void (*func)(int, enum ev_type, void *), void *param,
+	   int state)
 {
 	struct mevent *lp, *mevp;
 
@@ -299,13 +304,21 @@
 
 	LIST_INSERT_HEAD(&change_head, mevp, me_list);
 	mevp->me_cq = 1;
-	mevp->me_state = MEV_ADD;
+	mevp->me_state = state;
 	mevent_notify();
 
 exit:
 	mevent_qunlock();
 
 	return (mevp);
+}
+
+struct mevent *
+mevent_add(int tfd, enum ev_type type,
+	   void (*func)(int, enum ev_type, void *), void *param)
+{
+
+	return mevent_add_state(tfd, type, func, param, MEV_ADD);
 }
 
 static int
Index: head/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.h
===================================================================
--- head/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.h
+++ head/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.h
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 ssize_t	netbe_send(net_backend_t *be, struct iovec *iov, int iovcnt);
 ssize_t	netbe_recv(net_backend_t *be, struct iovec *iov, int iovcnt);
 ssize_t	netbe_rx_discard(net_backend_t *be);
+void	netbe_rx_disable(net_backend_t *be);
+void	netbe_rx_enable(net_backend_t *be);
 
 
 /*
Index: head/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
===================================================================
--- head/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
+++ head/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
@@ -110,6 +110,17 @@
 	ssize_t (*recv)(struct net_backend *be, struct iovec *iov, int iovcnt);
 
 	/*
+	 * Ask the backend to enable or disable receive operation in the
+	 * backend. On return from a disable operation, it is guaranteed
+	 * that the receive callback won't be called until receive is
+	 * enabled again. Note however that it is up to the caller to make
+	 * sure that netbe_recv() is not currently being executed by another
+	 * thread.
+	 */
+	void (*recv_enable)(struct net_backend *be);
+	void (*recv_disable)(struct net_backend *be);
+
+	/*
 	 * Ask the backend for the virtio-net features it is able to
 	 * support. Possible features are TSO, UFO and checksum offloading
 	 * in both rx and tx direction and for both IPv4 and IPv6.
@@ -248,6 +259,22 @@
 	return (ret);
 }
 
+static void
+tap_recv_enable(struct net_backend *be)
+{
+	struct tap_priv *priv = (struct tap_priv *)be->opaque;
+
+	mevent_enable(priv->mevp);
+}
+
+static void
+tap_recv_disable(struct net_backend *be)
+{
+	struct tap_priv *priv = (struct tap_priv *)be->opaque;
+
+	mevent_disable(priv->mevp);
+}
+
 static uint64_t
 tap_get_cap(struct net_backend *be)
 {
@@ -270,6 +297,8 @@
 	.cleanup = tap_cleanup,
 	.send = tap_send,
 	.recv = tap_recv,
+	.recv_enable = tap_recv_enable,
+	.recv_disable = tap_recv_disable,
 	.get_cap = tap_get_cap,
 	.set_cap = tap_set_cap,
 };
@@ -282,6 +311,8 @@
 	.cleanup = tap_cleanup,
 	.send = tap_send,
 	.recv = tap_recv,
+	.recv_enable = tap_recv_enable,
+	.recv_disable = tap_recv_disable,
 	.get_cap = tap_get_cap,
 	.set_cap = tap_set_cap,
 };
@@ -571,6 +602,22 @@
 	return (totlen);
 }
 
+static void
+netmap_recv_enable(struct net_backend *be)
+{
+	struct netmap_priv *priv = (struct netmap_priv *)be->opaque;
+
+	mevent_enable(priv->mevp);
+}
+
+static void
+netmap_recv_disable(struct net_backend *be)
+{
+	struct netmap_priv *priv = (struct netmap_priv *)be->opaque;
+
+	mevent_disable(priv->mevp);
+}
+
 static struct net_backend netmap_backend = {
 	.prefix = "netmap",
 	.priv_size = sizeof(struct netmap_priv),
@@ -578,6 +625,8 @@
 	.cleanup = netmap_cleanup,
 	.send = netmap_send,
 	.recv = netmap_recv,
+	.recv_enable = netmap_recv_enable,
+	.recv_disable = netmap_recv_disable,
 	.get_cap = netmap_get_cap,
 	.set_cap = netmap_set_cap,
 };
@@ -590,6 +639,8 @@
 	.cleanup = netmap_cleanup,
 	.send = netmap_send,
 	.recv = netmap_recv,
+	.recv_enable = netmap_recv_enable,
+	.recv_disable = netmap_recv_disable,
 	.get_cap = netmap_get_cap,
 	.set_cap = netmap_set_cap,
 };
@@ -805,3 +856,16 @@
 	return netbe_recv(be, &iov, 1);
 }
 
+void
+netbe_rx_disable(struct net_backend *be)
+{
+
+	return be->recv_enable(be);
+}
+
+void
+netbe_rx_enable(struct net_backend *be)
+{
+
+	return be->recv_disable(be);
+}