diff --git a/cloud-hypervisor/src/main.rs b/cloud-hypervisor/src/main.rs
index 06ef1fe30..51b1f38fd 100644
--- a/cloud-hypervisor/src/main.rs
+++ b/cloud-hypervisor/src/main.rs
@@ -373,6 +373,12 @@ fn get_cli_options_sorted(
             .num_args(1..)
             .action(ArgAction::Append)
             .group("vm-config"),
+        Arg::new("no-shutdown")
+            .long("no-shutdown")
+            .help("Do not exit the VMM when the guest shuts down")
+            .num_args(0)
+            .action(ArgAction::SetTrue)
+            .group("vmm-config"),
         Arg::new("numa")
             .long("numa")
             .help(NumaConfig::SYNTAX)
@@ -637,6 +643,7 @@ fn start_vmm(
 
     let exit_evt = EventFd::new(EFD_NONBLOCK).map_err(Error::CreateExitEventFd)?;
     let landlock_enable = cmd_arguments.get_flag("landlock");
+    let no_shutdown = cmd_arguments.get_flag("no-shutdown");
 
     #[allow(unused_mut)]
     let mut event_monitor = cmd_arguments
@@ -733,6 +740,7 @@ fn start_vmm(
         exit_evt.try_clone().unwrap(),
         &seccomp_action,
         hypervisor,
+        no_shutdown,
         landlock_enable,
     )
     .map_err(Error::StartVmmThread)?;
diff --git a/vmm/src/lib.rs b/vmm/src/lib.rs
index eec56c5c1..5dfea07e7 100644
--- a/vmm/src/lib.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/lib.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,10 @@ pub enum Error {
     #[error("Error rebooting VM")]
     VmReboot(#[source] VmError),
 
+    /// Cannot shut the VM down
+    #[error("Error shutting down VM")]
+    VmShutdown(#[source] VmError),
+
     /// Cannot create VMM thread
     #[error("Error spawning VMM thread")]
     VmmThreadSpawn(#[source] io::Error),
@@ -449,6 +453,7 @@ pub fn start_vmm_thread(
     exit_event: EventFd,
     seccomp_action: &SeccompAction,
     hypervisor: Arc<dyn hypervisor::Hypervisor>,
+    no_shutdown: bool,
     landlock_enable: bool,
 ) -> Result<VmmThreadHandle> {
     #[cfg(feature = "guest_debug")]
@@ -488,6 +493,7 @@ pub fn start_vmm_thread(
                     vmm_seccomp_action,
                     hypervisor,
                     exit_event,
+                    no_shutdown,
                 )?;
 
                 vmm.setup_signal_handler(landlock_enable)?;
@@ -627,6 +633,7 @@ pub struct Vmm {
     original_termios_opt: Arc<Mutex<Option<termios>>>,
     console_resize_pipe: Option<Arc<File>>,
     console_info: Option<ConsoleInfo>,
+    no_shutdown: bool,
 }
 
 /// Just a wrapper for the data that goes into
@@ -781,6 +788,7 @@ impl Vmm {
         seccomp_action: SeccompAction,
         hypervisor: Arc<dyn hypervisor::Hypervisor>,
         exit_evt: EventFd,
+        no_shutdown: bool,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         let mut epoll = EpollContext::new().map_err(Error::Epoll)?;
         let reset_evt = EventFd::new(EFD_NONBLOCK).map_err(Error::EventFdCreate)?;
@@ -833,6 +841,7 @@ impl Vmm {
             original_termios_opt: Arc::new(Mutex::new(None)),
             console_resize_pipe: None,
             console_info: None,
+            no_shutdown,
         })
     }
 
@@ -1688,9 +1697,12 @@ impl Vmm {
                     EpollDispatch::GuestExit => {
                         info!("VM guest exit event");
                         self.guest_exit_evt.read().map_err(Error::EventFdRead)?;
-                        self.vmm_shutdown().map_err(Error::VmmShutdown)?;
-
-                        break 'outer;
+                        if self.no_shutdown {
+                            self.vm_shutdown().map_err(Error::VmShutdown)?;
+                        } else {
+                            self.vmm_shutdown().map_err(Error::VmmShutdown)?;
+                            break 'outer;
+                        }
                     }
                     EpollDispatch::ActivateVirtioDevices => {
                         if let Some(ref vm) = self.vm {
@@ -2630,6 +2642,7 @@ mod unit_tests {
             SeccompAction::Allow,
             hypervisor::new().unwrap(),
             EventFd::new(EFD_NONBLOCK).unwrap(),
+            false,
         )
         .unwrap()
     }