diff --git a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
index 8c24b86..f63bf77 100644
--- a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
+++ b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
@@ -1210,6 +1210,8 @@
 free_port:
 	kfree(port);
 fail:
+	/* The host might want to notify management sw about port add failure */
+	send_control_msg(port, VIRTIO_CONSOLE_PORT_READY, 0);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1488,6 +1490,9 @@
 free:
 	kfree(portdev);
 fail:
+	/* The host might want to notify mgmt sw about device add failure */
+	__send_control_msg(portdev, VIRTIO_CONSOLE_BAD_ID,
+			   VIRTIO_CONSOLE_DEVICE_READY, 0);
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/include/linux/virtio_console.h b/include/linux/virtio_console.h
index ae4f039..01573611 100644
--- a/include/linux/virtio_console.h
+++ b/include/linux/virtio_console.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 #define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_F_SIZE	0	/* Does host provide console size? */
 #define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_F_MULTIPORT 1	/* Does host provide multiple ports? */
 
+#define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_BAD_ID		(~(u32)0)
+
 struct virtio_console_config {
 	/* colums of the screens */
 	__u16 cols;
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@
 #define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_PORT_OPEN	3
 #define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_PORT_NAME	4
 #define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_PORT_REMOVE	5
+#define VIRTIO_CONSOLE_DEVICE_READY	6
 
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
 int __init virtio_cons_early_init(int (*put_chars)(u32, const char *, int));