diff --git a/hw/virtio-serial-bus.c b/hw/virtio-serial-bus.c
index 7e100d0def..403268fa30 100644
--- a/hw/virtio-serial-bus.c
+++ b/hw/virtio-serial-bus.c
@@ -520,6 +520,8 @@ static int virtser_port_qdev_exit(DeviceState *qdev)
     VirtIOSerialPort *port = DO_UPCAST(VirtIOSerialPort, dev, &dev->qdev);
     VirtIOSerial *vser = port->vser;
 
+    send_control_event(port, VIRTIO_CONSOLE_PORT_REMOVE, 1);
+
     /*
      * Don't decrement nr_ports here; thus we keep a linearly
      * increasing port id. Not utilising an id again saves us a couple
diff --git a/hw/virtio-serial.h b/hw/virtio-serial.h
index 28ea7da8b7..f297b00689 100644
--- a/hw/virtio-serial.h
+++ b/hw/virtio-serial.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ struct virtio_console_control {
 #define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_RESIZE		2
 #define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_PORT_OPEN	3
 #define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_PORT_NAME	4
+#define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_PORT_REMOVE	5
 
 /* == In-qemu interface == */