diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/virtio.h b/include/hw/virtio/virtio.h
index 672f7445dd0e489d805c49d0b16ef94cca83519c..c1c1a5f1b6b62a2b7be411bf18642bd0c467c2ef 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/virtio.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/virtio.h
@@ -486,9 +486,9 @@ static inline bool virtio_device_started(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
  * @vdev - the VirtIO device
  * @status - the devices status bits
  *
- * This is similar to virtio_device_started() but also encapsulates a
- * check on the VM status which would prevent a device starting
- * anyway.
+ * This is similar to virtio_device_started() but ignores vdev->started
+ * and also encapsulates a check on the VM status which would prevent a
+ * device from starting anyway.
  */
 static inline bool virtio_device_should_start(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status)
 {
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ static inline bool virtio_device_should_start(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t status
         return false;
     }
 
-    return virtio_device_started(vdev, status);
+    return status & VIRTIO_CONFIG_S_DRIVER_OK;
 }
 
 static inline void virtio_set_started(VirtIODevice *vdev, bool started)