static int
 virtio_user_server_reconnect(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 {
-       int ret;
-       int connectfd;
+       int ret, connectfd, old_status;
        struct rte_eth_dev *eth_dev = &rte_eth_devices[dev->port_id];
        struct virtio_hw *hw = eth_dev->data->dev_private;
        uint64_t protocol_features;
                return -1;
 
        dev->vhostfd = connectfd;
+       old_status = vtpci_get_status(hw);
+
+       vtpci_reset(hw);
+
+       vtpci_set_status(hw, VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_ACK);
+
+       vtpci_set_status(hw, VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_DRIVER);
+
        if (dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_GET_FEATURES,
                                   &dev->device_features) < 0) {
                PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "get_features failed: %s",
 
        /* For packed ring, resetting queues is required in reconnection. */
        if (vtpci_packed_queue(hw) &&
-          (vtpci_get_status(hw) & VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_DRIVER_OK)) {
+          (old_status & VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_DRIVER_OK)) {
                PMD_INIT_LOG(NOTICE, "Packets on the fly will be dropped"
                                " when packed ring reconnecting.");
                virtio_user_reset_queues_packed(eth_dev);
        }
 
-       ret = virtio_user_start_device(dev);
-       if (ret < 0)
+       vtpci_set_status(hw, VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_FEATURES_OK);
+
+       /* Start the device */
+       vtpci_set_status(hw, VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_DRIVER_OK);
+       if (!dev->started)
                return -1;
 
        if (dev->queue_pairs > 1) {