diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/bhyverun.c
@@ -1488,8 +1488,28 @@
 		assert(error == 0);
 	}
 
+	/* Allocate per-VCPU resources. */
+	mt_vmm_info = calloc(guest_ncpus, sizeof(*mt_vmm_info));
+
+	/*
+	 * Add all vCPUs.
+	 */
+	for (int vcpu = 0; vcpu < guest_ncpus; vcpu++) {
+		bool suspend = (vcpu != BSP);
+#ifdef BHYVE_SNAPSHOT
+		if (restore_file != NULL)
+			suspend = true;
+#endif
+		spinup_vcpu(ctx, vcpu, suspend);
+	}
+
 #ifdef BHYVE_SNAPSHOT
+	/* initialize mutex/cond variables */
+	init_snapshot();
+
 	if (restore_file != NULL) {
+		vm_vcpu_pause(ctx);
+
 		fprintf(stdout, "Pausing pci devs...\r\n");
 		if (vm_pause_user_devs() != 0) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Failed to pause PCI device state.\n");
@@ -1564,36 +1584,18 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef BHYVE_SNAPSHOT
-	if (restore_file != NULL)
-		destroy_restore_state(&rstate);
-
-	/* initialize mutex/cond variables */
-	init_snapshot();
-
 	/*
 	 * checkpointing thread for communication with bhyvectl
 	 */
 	if (init_checkpoint_thread(ctx) < 0)
 		printf("Failed to start checkpoint thread!\r\n");
 
-	if (restore_file != NULL)
+	if (restore_file != NULL) {
+		destroy_restore_state(&rstate);
 		vm_restore_time(ctx);
-#endif
-
-	/* Allocate per-VCPU resources. */
-	mt_vmm_info = calloc(guest_ncpus, sizeof(*mt_vmm_info));
-
-	/*
-	 * Add all vCPUs.
-	 */
-	for (int vcpu = 0; vcpu < guest_ncpus; vcpu++) {
-		bool suspend = (vcpu != BSP);
-#ifdef BHYVE_SNAPSHOT
-		if (restore_file != NULL)
-			suspend = false;
-#endif
-		spinup_vcpu(ctx, vcpu, suspend);
+		vm_vcpu_resume(ctx);
 	}
+#endif
 
 	/*
 	 * Head off to the main event dispatch loop
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/snapshot.h b/usr.sbin/bhyve/snapshot.h
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/snapshot.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/snapshot.h
@@ -106,4 +106,8 @@
 
 int load_restore_file(const char *filename, struct restore_state *rstate);
 
+void vm_vcpu_pause(struct vmctx *ctx);
+void vm_vcpu_resume(struct vmctx *ctx);
+
+
 #endif
diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/snapshot.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/snapshot.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/snapshot.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/snapshot.c
@@ -1290,7 +1290,7 @@
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&vcpu_lock);
 }
 
-static void
+void
 vm_vcpu_pause(struct vmctx *ctx)
 {
 
@@ -1302,7 +1302,7 @@
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&vcpu_lock);
 }
 
-static void
+void
 vm_vcpu_resume(struct vmctx *ctx)
 {