diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 3bf15d93a4..2d9966bab0 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -691,6 +691,13 @@ symbols = [
   [ 'sched.h', 'cpu_set_t' ],
 ]
 
+if host_machine.system() == 'linux'
+  symbols += [
+    # process management
+    [ 'sys/syscall.h', 'SYS_pidfd_open' ],
+  ]
+endif
+
 foreach symbol : symbols
   if cc.has_header_symbol(symbol[0], symbol[1], args: '-D_GNU_SOURCE', prefix: symbol.get(2, ''))
     conf.set('WITH_DECL_@0@'.format(symbol[1].to_upper()), 1)
@@ -2011,6 +2018,9 @@ endif
 
 conf.set_quoted('TLS_PRIORITY', get_option('tls_priority'))
 
+if conf.has('WITH_DECL_SYS_PIDFD_OPEN')
+  conf.set('WITH_NBDKIT', 1)
+endif
 
 # Various definitions
 
@@ -2268,6 +2278,7 @@ misc_summary = {
   'firewalld-zone': conf.has('WITH_FIREWALLD_ZONE'),
   'nss': conf.has('WITH_NSS'),
   'numad': conf.has('WITH_NUMAD'),
+  'nbdkit': conf.has('WITH_NBDKIT'),
   'Init script': init_script,
   'Char device locks': chrdev_lock_files,
   'Loader/NVRAM': loader_res,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
index 6f3c8d37aa..eec7bed28b 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.c
@@ -11499,6 +11499,7 @@ qemuProcessEventFree(struct qemuProcessEvent *event)
     case QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_PR_DISCONNECT:
     case QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_UNATTENDED_MIGRATION:
     case QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_RESET:
+    case QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_NBDKIT_EXITED:
     case QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_LAST:
         break;
     }
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
index 803dd89a0d..a3fc6acaaa 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_domain.h
@@ -465,6 +465,7 @@ typedef enum {
     QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_MEMORY_DEVICE_SIZE_CHANGE,
     QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_UNATTENDED_MIGRATION,
     QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_RESET,
+    QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_NBDKIT_EXITED,
 
     QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_LAST
 } qemuProcessEventType;
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 3a48713037..9e0f204e44 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -4033,6 +4033,20 @@ processResetEvent(virQEMUDriver *driver,
 }
 
 
+static void
+processNbdkitExitedEvent(virDomainObj *vm,
+                         qemuNbdkitProcess *nbdkit)
+{
+    if (virDomainObjBeginJob(vm, VIR_JOB_MODIFY) < 0)
+        return;
+
+    if (qemuNbdkitProcessRestart(nbdkit, vm) < 0)
+        virDomainObjTaint(vm, VIR_DOMAIN_TAINT_NBDKIT_RESTART);
+
+    virDomainObjEndJob(vm);
+}
+
+
 static void qemuProcessEventHandler(void *data, void *opaque)
 {
     struct qemuProcessEvent *processEvent = data;
@@ -4090,6 +4104,9 @@ static void qemuProcessEventHandler(void *data, void *opaque)
     case QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_RESET:
         processResetEvent(driver, vm);
         break;
+    case QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_NBDKIT_EXITED:
+        processNbdkitExitedEvent(vm, processEvent->data);
+        break;
     case QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_LAST:
         break;
     }
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.c b/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.c
index df638e99c0..2ad34d6484 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.c
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 #include <config.h>
 #include <glib.h>
+#include <sys/syscall.h>
 
 #include "vircommand.h"
 #include "virerror.h"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "qemu_nbdkit.h"
 #define LIBVIRT_QEMU_NBDKITPRIV_H_ALLOW
 #include "qemu_nbdkitpriv.h"
+#include "qemu_process.h"
 #include "qemu_security.h"
 
 #include <fcntl.h>
@@ -41,6 +43,12 @@
 
 VIR_LOG_INIT("qemu.nbdkit");
 
+#if WITH_NBDKIT
+# define WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED
+#else
+# define WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED G_GNUC_UNUSED
+#endif
+
 VIR_ENUM_IMPL(qemuNbdkitCaps,
     QEMU_NBDKIT_CAPS_LAST,
     /* 0 */
@@ -611,6 +619,113 @@ qemuNbdkitCapsCacheNew(const char *cachedir)
 }
 
 
+int
+qemuNbdkitProcessRestart(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc,
+                         virDomainObj *vm)
+{
+    qemuDomainObjPrivate *vmpriv = vm->privateData;
+    virQEMUDriver *driver = vmpriv->driver;
+
+    /* clean up resources associated with process */
+    qemuNbdkitProcessStop(proc);
+
+    return qemuNbdkitProcessStart(proc, vm, driver);
+}
+
+
+#if WITH_NBDKIT
+typedef struct {
+    qemuNbdkitProcess *proc;
+    virDomainObj *vm;
+} qemuNbdkitProcessEventData;
+
+
+static qemuNbdkitProcessEventData*
+qemuNbdkitProcessEventDataNew(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc,
+                              virDomainObj *vm)
+{
+    qemuNbdkitProcessEventData *d = g_new(qemuNbdkitProcessEventData, 1);
+    d->proc = proc;
+    d->vm = virObjectRef(vm);
+    return d;
+}
+
+
+static void
+qemuNbdkitProcessEventDataFree(qemuNbdkitProcessEventData *d)
+{
+    virObjectUnref(d->vm);
+    g_free(d);
+}
+
+
+static void
+qemuNbdkitProcessPidfdCb(int watch G_GNUC_UNUSED,
+                         int fd,
+                         int events G_GNUC_UNUSED,
+                         void *opaque)
+{
+    qemuNbdkitProcessEventData *d = opaque;
+
+    VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
+    /* submit an event so that it is handled in the per-vm event thread */
+    qemuProcessHandleNbdkitExit(d->proc, d->vm);
+}
+#endif /* WITH_NBDKIT */
+
+
+static int
+qemuNbdkitProcessStartMonitor(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED,
+                              virDomainObj *vm WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED)
+{
+#if WITH_NBDKIT
+    int pidfd;
+    qemuNbdkitProcessEventData *data;
+
+    pidfd = syscall(SYS_pidfd_open, proc->pid, 0);
+    if (pidfd < 0) {
+        virReportSystemError(errno, _("pidfd_open failed for %1$i"), proc->pid);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    data = qemuNbdkitProcessEventDataNew(proc, vm);
+    if ((proc->eventwatch = virEventAddHandle(pidfd,
+                                              VIR_EVENT_HANDLE_READABLE,
+                                              qemuNbdkitProcessPidfdCb,
+                                              data,
+                                              (virFreeCallback)qemuNbdkitProcessEventDataFree)) < 0) {
+        virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                       _("failed to monitor nbdkit process %1$i"),
+                       proc->pid);
+        VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(pidfd);
+        qemuNbdkitProcessEventDataFree(data);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    VIR_DEBUG("Monitoring nbdkit process %i for exit", proc->pid);
+
+    return 0;
+#else
+    /* This should not be reachable */
+    virReportError(VIR_ERR_NO_SUPPORT, "%s",
+                   _("nbdkit support is not enabled"));
+    return -1;
+#endif /* WITH_NBDKIT */
+}
+
+
+static void
+qemuNbdkitProcessStopMonitor(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED)
+{
+#if WITH_NBDKIT
+    if (proc->eventwatch > 0) {
+        virEventRemoveHandle(proc->eventwatch);
+        proc->eventwatch = 0;
+    }
+#endif /* WITH_NBDKIT */
+}
+
+
 static qemuNbdkitProcess *
 qemuNbdkitProcessNew(virStorageSource *source,
                      const char *pidfile,
@@ -657,29 +772,40 @@ qemuNbdkitReconnectStorageSource(virStorageSource *source,
 }
 
 
-static void
-qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcessOne(virStorageSource *source)
+static int
+qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcessOne(virStorageSource *source,
+                                        virDomainObj *vm)
 {
     qemuDomainStorageSourcePrivate *srcpriv = QEMU_DOMAIN_STORAGE_SOURCE_PRIVATE(source);
+    qemuDomainObjPrivate *vmpriv = vm->privateData;
     qemuNbdkitProcess *proc;
 
     if (!srcpriv)
-        return;
+        return 0;
 
     proc = srcpriv->nbdkitProcess;
 
     if (!proc)
-        return;
+        return 0;
+
+    if (!proc->caps)
+        proc->caps = qemuGetNbdkitCaps(vmpriv->driver);
 
     if (proc->pid <= 0) {
         if (virPidFileReadPath(proc->pidfile, &proc->pid) < 0) {
-            VIR_WARN("Unable to read pidfile '%s'", proc->pidfile);
-            return;
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR,
+                           _("Unable to read pidfile '%1$s'"),
+                           proc->pidfile);
+            return -1;
         }
     }
 
-    if (virProcessKill(proc->pid, 0) < 0)
-        VIR_WARN("nbdkit process %i is not alive", proc->pid);
+    if (virProcessKill(proc->pid, 0) < 0) {
+        VIR_DEBUG("nbdkit process %i is not alive", proc->pid);
+        return qemuNbdkitProcessRestart(proc, vm);
+    }
+
+    return qemuNbdkitProcessStartMonitor(proc, vm);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -691,23 +817,32 @@ qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcessOne(virStorageSource *source)
  * @source. It is intended to be called after libvirt restarts and has loaded its current state from
  * disk and is attempting to re-connect to active domains.
  */
-void
-qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcess(virStorageSource *source)
+int
+qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcess(virStorageSource *source,
+                                     virDomainObj *vm)
 {
     virStorageSource *backing;
     for (backing = source; backing != NULL; backing = backing->backingStore)
-        qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcessOne(backing);
+        if (qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcessOne(backing, vm) < 0)
+            return -1;
+
+    return 0;
 }
 
 
 bool
-qemuNbdkitInitStorageSource(qemuNbdkitCaps *caps,
-                            virStorageSource *source,
-                            char *statedir,
-                            const char *alias,
-                            uid_t user,
-                            gid_t group)
+qemuNbdkitInitStorageSource(qemuNbdkitCaps *caps WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED,
+                            virStorageSource *source WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED,
+                            char *statedir WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED,
+                            const char *alias WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED,
+                            uid_t user WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED,
+                            gid_t group WITHOUT_NBDKIT_UNUSED)
 {
+#if !WITH_NBDKIT
+    /* if nbdkit support is not enabled, don't construct the object so the
+     * calling function will fall back to qemu storage drivers */
+    return false;
+#else
     qemuDomainStorageSourcePrivate *srcPriv = qemuDomainStorageSourcePrivateFetch(source);
     g_autofree char *pidname = g_strdup_printf("nbdkit-%s.pid", alias);
     g_autofree char *socketname = g_strdup_printf("nbdkit-%s.socket", alias);
@@ -751,6 +886,7 @@ qemuNbdkitInitStorageSource(qemuNbdkitCaps *caps,
     srcPriv->nbdkitProcess = proc;
 
     return true;
+#endif /* WITH_NBDKIT */
 }
 
 
@@ -968,6 +1104,8 @@ qemuNbdkitProcessBuildCommand(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc)
 void
 qemuNbdkitProcessFree(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc)
 {
+    qemuNbdkitProcessStopMonitor(proc);
+
     g_clear_pointer(&proc->pidfile, g_free);
     g_clear_pointer(&proc->socketfile, g_free);
     g_clear_object(&proc->caps);
@@ -1037,8 +1175,11 @@ qemuNbdkitProcessStart(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc,
         goto error;
 
     while (virTimeBackOffWait(&timebackoff)) {
-        if (virFileExists(proc->socketfile))
+        if (virFileExists(proc->socketfile)) {
+            if (qemuNbdkitProcessStartMonitor(proc, vm) < 0)
+                goto error;
             return 0;
+        }
 
         if (virProcessKill(proc->pid, 0) == 0)
             continue;
@@ -1069,6 +1210,8 @@ qemuNbdkitProcessStart(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc,
 int
 qemuNbdkitProcessStop(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc)
 {
+    qemuNbdkitProcessStopMonitor(proc);
+
     if (proc->pid < 0)
         return 0;
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.h b/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.h
index 36a2219d82..a818ff65e1 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_nbdkit.h
@@ -68,8 +68,9 @@ qemuNbdkitStartStorageSource(virQEMUDriver *driver,
 void
 qemuNbdkitStopStorageSource(virStorageSource *src);
 
-void
-qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcess(virStorageSource *src);
+int
+qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcess(virStorageSource *src,
+                                     virDomainObj *vm);
 
 bool
 qemuNbdkitCapsGet(qemuNbdkitCaps *nbdkitCaps,
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ struct _qemuNbdkitProcess {
     uid_t user;
     gid_t group;
     pid_t pid;
+    int eventwatch;
 };
 
 int
@@ -98,6 +100,10 @@ qemuNbdkitProcessStart(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc,
                        virDomainObj *vm,
                        virQEMUDriver *driver);
 
+int
+qemuNbdkitProcessRestart(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc,
+                         virDomainObj *vm);
+
 int
 qemuNbdkitProcessStop(qemuNbdkitProcess *proc);
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index a181df2123..a3abd4127e 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -9055,10 +9055,12 @@ qemuProcessReconnect(void *opaque)
     }
 
     for (i = 0; i < obj->def->ndisks; i++)
-        qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcess(obj->def->disks[i]->src);
+        if (qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcess(obj->def->disks[i]->src, obj) < 0)
+            goto error;
 
     if (obj->def->os.loader && obj->def->os.loader->nvram)
-        qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcess(obj->def->os.loader->nvram);
+        if (qemuNbdkitStorageSourceManageProcess(obj->def->os.loader->nvram, obj) < 0)
+            goto error;
 
     /* update domain state XML with possibly updated state in virDomainObj */
     if (virDomainObjSave(obj, driver->xmlopt, cfg->stateDir) < 0)
@@ -9512,3 +9514,14 @@ qemuProcessQMPStart(qemuProcessQMP *proc)
 
     return 0;
 }
+
+
+void
+qemuProcessHandleNbdkitExit(qemuNbdkitProcess *nbdkit,
+                            virDomainObj *vm)
+{
+    virObjectLock(vm);
+    VIR_DEBUG("nbdkit process %i died", nbdkit->pid);
+    qemuProcessEventSubmit(vm, QEMU_PROCESS_EVENT_NBDKIT_EXITED, 0, 0, nbdkit);
+    virObjectUnlock(vm);
+}
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.h b/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
index cae1b49756..86a60d29c9 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
@@ -237,3 +237,6 @@ void qemuProcessRefreshDiskProps(virDomainDiskDef *disk,
                                  struct qemuDomainDiskInfo *info);
 
 int qemuProcessSetupEmulator(virDomainObj *vm);
+
+void qemuProcessHandleNbdkitExit(qemuNbdkitProcess *nbdkit,
+                                 virDomainObj *vm);
diff --git a/tests/meson.build b/tests/meson.build
index f05774263c..b235c5f4dd 100644
--- a/tests/meson.build
+++ b/tests/meson.build
@@ -456,8 +456,12 @@ if conf.has('WITH_QEMU')
     { 'name': 'qemuvhostusertest', 'link_with': [ test_qemu_driver_lib ], 'link_whole': [ test_file_wrapper_lib ] },
     { 'name': 'qemuxml2argvtest', 'link_with': [ test_qemu_driver_lib, test_utils_qemu_monitor_lib ], 'link_whole': [ test_utils_qemu_lib, test_file_wrapper_lib ] },
     { 'name': 'qemuxml2xmltest', 'link_with': [ test_qemu_driver_lib ], 'link_whole': [ test_utils_qemu_lib, test_file_wrapper_lib ] },
-    { 'name': 'qemunbdkittest', 'link_with': [ test_qemu_driver_lib ], 'link_whole': [ test_utils_qemu_lib, test_file_wrapper_lib ] },
   ]
+  if conf.has('WITH_NBDKIT')
+    tests += [
+      { 'name': 'qemunbdkittest', 'link_with': [ test_qemu_driver_lib ], 'link_whole': [ test_utils_qemu_lib, test_file_wrapper_lib ] },
+    ]
+  endif
 endif
 
 if conf.has('WITH_REMOTE')
diff --git a/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c b/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
index 1bd3f3f4a3..7aabec75ef 100644
--- a/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
+++ b/tests/qemuxml2argvtest.c
@@ -778,8 +778,12 @@ mymain(void)
 # define DO_TEST_CAPS_ARCH_VER(name, arch, ver) \
     DO_TEST_CAPS_ARCH_VER_FULL(name, arch, ver, ARG_END)
 
-# define DO_TEST_CAPS_LATEST_NBDKIT(name, ...) \
+# if WITH_NBDKIT
+#  define DO_TEST_CAPS_LATEST_NBDKIT(name, ...) \
     DO_TEST_CAPS_ARCH_LATEST_FULL(name, "x86_64", ARG_NBDKIT_CAPS, __VA_ARGS__, QEMU_NBDKIT_CAPS_LAST, ARG_END)
+# else
+#  define DO_TEST_CAPS_LATEST_NBDKIT(name, ...)
+# endif /* WITH_NBDKIT */
 
 # define DO_TEST_CAPS_LATEST(name) \
     DO_TEST_CAPS_ARCH_LATEST(name, "x86_64")