diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
index 24bf5f855c..f59cbf559e 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_command.c
@@ -6415,11 +6415,7 @@ qemuBuildPMCommandLine(virCommandPtr cmd,
     if (priv->allowReboot == VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_NO)
         virCommandAddArg(cmd, "-no-reboot");
 
-    /* If JSON monitor is enabled, we can receive an event
-     * when QEMU stops. If we use no-shutdown, then we can
-     * watch for this event and do a soft/warm reboot.
-     */
-    if (priv->monJSON && priv->allowReboot == VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_YES)
+    if (qemuDomainIsUsingNoShutdown(priv))
         virCommandAddArg(cmd, "-no-shutdown");
 
     if (virQEMUCapsGet(qemuCaps, QEMU_CAPS_NO_ACPI)) {
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index ba3fff607a..045a7b4ac0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -13561,3 +13561,20 @@ qemuDomainRunningReasonToResumeEvent(virDomainRunningReason reason)
 
     return VIR_DOMAIN_EVENT_RESUMED_UNPAUSED;
 }
+
+
+/* qemuDomainIsUsingNoShutdown:
+ * @priv: Domain private data
+ *
+ * If JSON monitor is enabled, we can receive an event when QEMU stops. If
+ * we use no-shutdown, then we can watch for this event and do a soft/warm
+ * reboot.
+ *
+ * Returns: @true when -no-shutdown either should be or was added to the
+ * command line.
+ */
+bool
+qemuDomainIsUsingNoShutdown(qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv)
+{
+    return priv->monJSON && priv->allowReboot == VIR_TRISTATE_BOOL_YES;
+}
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
index 80bd4bde91..554435e0a9 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
@@ -1089,4 +1089,7 @@ void qemuDomainStorageIdReset(qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv);
 virDomainEventResumedDetailType
 qemuDomainRunningReasonToResumeEvent(virDomainRunningReason reason);
 
+bool
+qemuDomainIsUsingNoShutdown(qemuDomainObjPrivatePtr priv);
+
 #endif /* __QEMU_DOMAIN_H__ */
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index c698c3b29c..f1639463f0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -7988,11 +7988,16 @@ qemuProcessReconnect(void *opaque)
     if (virDomainObjIsActive(obj)) {
         /* We can't get the monitor back, so must kill the VM
          * to remove danger of it ending up running twice if
-         * user tries to start it again later
-         * If we couldn't get the monitor since QEMU supports
-         * no-shutdown, we can safely say that the domain
-         * crashed ... */
-        state = VIR_DOMAIN_SHUTOFF_CRASHED;
+         * user tries to start it again later.
+         *
+         * If we cannot get to the monitor when the QEMU command
+         * line used -no-shutdown, then we can safely say that the
+         * domain crashed; otherwise, we don't really know. */
+        if (qemuDomainIsUsingNoShutdown(priv))
+            state = VIR_DOMAIN_SHUTOFF_CRASHED;
+        else
+            state = VIR_DOMAIN_SHUTOFF_UNKNOWN;
+
         /* If BeginJob failed, we jumped here without a job, let's hope another
          * thread didn't have a chance to start playing with the domain yet
          * (it's all we can do anyway).