diff --git a/src/conf/virstorageobj.c b/src/conf/virstorageobj.c
index 4af8f5eb0a..286192172d 100644
--- a/src/conf/virstorageobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virstorageobj.c
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ struct _virStoragePoolObj {
     char *configFile;
     char *autostartLink;
     bool active;
+    bool starting;
     bool autostart;
     unsigned int asyncjobs;
 
@@ -312,6 +313,21 @@ virStoragePoolObjSetActive(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj,
 }
 
 
+void
+virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj,
+                             bool starting)
+{
+    obj->starting = starting;
+}
+
+
+bool
+virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj)
+{
+    return obj->starting;
+}
+
+
 bool
 virStoragePoolObjIsAutostart(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj)
 {
@@ -1090,6 +1106,13 @@ virStoragePoolObjIsDuplicate(virStoragePoolObjListPtr pools,
                                obj->def->name);
                 goto cleanup;
             }
+
+            if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+                virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                               _("pool '%s' is starting up"),
+                               obj->def->name);
+                goto cleanup;
+            }
         }
 
         VIR_STEAL_PTR(*objRet, obj);
@@ -1510,7 +1533,8 @@ virStoragePoolObjAssignDef(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj,
                            virStoragePoolDefPtr def,
                            unsigned int flags)
 {
-    if (virStoragePoolObjIsActive(obj)) {
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsActive(obj) ||
+        virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
         virStoragePoolDefFree(obj->newDef);
         obj->newDef = def;
     } else {
diff --git a/src/conf/virstorageobj.h b/src/conf/virstorageobj.h
index 0af4b2c821..54100ac22a 100644
--- a/src/conf/virstorageobj.h
+++ b/src/conf/virstorageobj.h
@@ -94,6 +94,12 @@ void
 virStoragePoolObjSetActive(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj,
                            bool active);
 
+void
+virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj,
+                             bool starting);
+bool
+virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj);
+
 bool
 virStoragePoolObjIsAutostart(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj);
 
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 73cc2916bd..fc749e76c3 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1246,6 +1246,7 @@ virStoragePoolObjGetVolumesCount;
 virStoragePoolObjIncrAsyncjobs;
 virStoragePoolObjIsActive;
 virStoragePoolObjIsAutostart;
+virStoragePoolObjIsStarting;
 virStoragePoolObjListAdd;
 virStoragePoolObjListExport;
 virStoragePoolObjListForEach;
@@ -1264,6 +1265,7 @@ virStoragePoolObjSetActive;
 virStoragePoolObjSetAutostart;
 virStoragePoolObjSetConfigFile;
 virStoragePoolObjSetDef;
+virStoragePoolObjSetStarting;
 virStoragePoolObjVolumeGetNames;
 virStoragePoolObjVolumeListExport;
 
diff --git a/src/storage/storage_driver.c b/src/storage/storage_driver.c
index ebf3f78752..cd9f14a2c0 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_driver.c
+++ b/src/storage/storage_driver.c
@@ -202,12 +202,14 @@ storageDriverAutostartCallback(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj,
 
     if (virStoragePoolObjIsAutostart(obj) &&
         !virStoragePoolObjIsActive(obj)) {
+
+        virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, true);
         if (backend->startPool &&
             backend->startPool(obj) < 0) {
             virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                            _("Failed to autostart storage pool '%s': %s"),
                            def->name, virGetLastErrorMessage());
-            return;
+            goto cleanup;
         }
         started = true;
     }
@@ -226,6 +228,13 @@ storageDriverAutostartCallback(virStoragePoolObjPtr obj,
             virStoragePoolObjSetActive(obj, true);
         }
     }
+
+ cleanup:
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        if (!virStoragePoolObjIsActive(obj))
+            virStoragePoolUpdateInactive(obj);
+        virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, false);
+    }
 }
 
 
@@ -761,6 +770,8 @@ storagePoolCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn,
     newDef = NULL;
     def = virStoragePoolObjGetDef(obj);
 
+    virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, true);
+
     if (backend->buildPool) {
         if (flags & VIR_STORAGE_POOL_CREATE_WITH_BUILD_OVERWRITE)
             build_flags |= VIR_STORAGE_POOL_BUILD_OVERWRITE;
@@ -797,6 +808,11 @@ storagePoolCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn,
     pool = virGetStoragePool(conn, def->name, def->uuid, NULL, NULL);
 
  cleanup:
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        if (!virStoragePoolObjIsActive(obj))
+            virStoragePoolUpdateInactive(obj);
+        virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, false);
+    }
     virObjectEventStateQueue(driver->storageEventState, event);
     virStoragePoolObjEndAPI(&obj);
     return pool;
@@ -879,6 +895,13 @@ storagePoolUndefine(virStoragePoolPtr pool)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                       _("storage pool '%s' is starting up"),
+                       def->name);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     if (virStoragePoolObjGetAsyncjobs(obj) > 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                        _("pool '%s' has asynchronous jobs running."),
@@ -923,6 +946,7 @@ storagePoolCreate(virStoragePoolPtr pool,
     int ret = -1;
     unsigned int build_flags = 0;
     VIR_AUTOFREE(char *) stateFile = NULL;
+    bool restoreStarting = false;
 
     virCheckFlags(VIR_STORAGE_POOL_CREATE_WITH_BUILD |
                   VIR_STORAGE_POOL_CREATE_WITH_BUILD_OVERWRITE |
@@ -948,6 +972,16 @@ storagePoolCreate(virStoragePoolPtr pool,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                       _("storage pool '%s' is starting up"),
+                       def->name);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, true);
+    restoreStarting = true;
+
     if (backend->buildPool) {
         if (flags & VIR_STORAGE_POOL_CREATE_WITH_BUILD_OVERWRITE)
             build_flags |= VIR_STORAGE_POOL_BUILD_OVERWRITE;
@@ -983,6 +1017,12 @@ storagePoolCreate(virStoragePoolPtr pool,
     ret = 0;
 
  cleanup:
+    if (restoreStarting &&
+        virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        if (!virStoragePoolObjIsActive(obj))
+            virStoragePoolUpdateInactive(obj);
+        virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, false);
+    }
     virObjectEventStateQueue(driver->storageEventState, event);
     virStoragePoolObjEndAPI(&obj);
     return ret;
@@ -996,6 +1036,7 @@ storagePoolBuild(virStoragePoolPtr pool,
     virStoragePoolDefPtr def;
     virStorageBackendPtr backend;
     virObjectEventPtr event = NULL;
+    bool restoreStarting = false;
     int ret = -1;
 
     if (!(obj = virStoragePoolObjFromStoragePool(pool)))
@@ -1015,6 +1056,16 @@ storagePoolBuild(virStoragePoolPtr pool,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                       _("storage pool '%s' is starting up"),
+                       def->name);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, true);
+    restoreStarting = true;
+
     if (backend->buildPool &&
         backend->buildPool(obj, flags) < 0)
         goto cleanup;
@@ -1027,6 +1078,11 @@ storagePoolBuild(virStoragePoolPtr pool,
     ret = 0;
 
  cleanup:
+    if (restoreStarting &&
+        virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        virStoragePoolUpdateInactive(obj);
+        virStoragePoolObjSetStarting(obj, false);
+    }
     virObjectEventStateQueue(driver->storageEventState, event);
     virStoragePoolObjEndAPI(&obj);
     return ret;
@@ -1061,6 +1117,13 @@ storagePoolDestroy(virStoragePoolPtr pool)
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                       _("storage pool '%s' is starting up"),
+                       def->name);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     if (virStoragePoolObjGetAsyncjobs(obj) > 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                        _("pool '%s' has asynchronous jobs running."),
@@ -1126,6 +1189,13 @@ storagePoolDelete(virStoragePoolPtr pool,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                       _("storage pool '%s' is starting up"),
+                       def->name);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     if (virStoragePoolObjGetAsyncjobs(obj) > 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                        _("pool '%s' has asynchronous jobs running."),
@@ -1189,6 +1259,13 @@ storagePoolRefresh(virStoragePoolPtr pool,
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
+    if (virStoragePoolObjIsStarting(obj)) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                       _("storage pool '%s' is starting up"),
+                       def->name);
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     if (virStoragePoolObjGetAsyncjobs(obj) > 0) {
         virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
                        _("pool '%s' has asynchronous jobs running."),