diff --git a/vmm/src/interrupt.rs b/vmm/src/interrupt.rs
index 80ddd46ae..f08aaab7f 100644
--- a/vmm/src/interrupt.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/interrupt.rs
@@ -20,32 +20,49 @@ use vmm_sys_util::eventfd::EventFd;
 type Result<T> = std::io::Result<T>;
 
 struct InterruptRoute {
-    gsi: u32,
+    gsi: Option<u32>,
     irq_fd: Option<EventFd>,
     registered: bool,
 }
 
 impl InterruptRoute {
-    fn new(allocator: &mut SystemAllocator) -> Result<Self> {
-        Self::new_with_fd(allocator, Some(EventFd::new(libc::EFD_NONBLOCK)?))
+    fn new() -> Result<Self> {
+        // The irq_fd must be created eagerly because external components
+        // (say, VFIO) need the fd at device initialization time via notifier().
+        Self::new_with_fd(Some(EventFd::new(libc::EFD_NONBLOCK)?))
     }
 
-    fn new_with_fd(allocator: &mut SystemAllocator, irq_fd: Option<EventFd>) -> Result<Self> {
-        let gsi = allocator
-            .allocate_gsi()
-            .ok_or_else(|| io::Error::other("Failed allocating new GSI"))?;
-
+    fn new_with_fd(irq_fd: Option<EventFd>) -> Result<Self> {
         Ok(InterruptRoute {
-            gsi,
+            gsi: None,
             irq_fd,
             registered: false,
         })
     }
 
+    fn allocate_gsi(&mut self, allocator: &mut SystemAllocator) -> Result<u32> {
+        match self.gsi {
+            Some(existing) => Ok(existing),
+            None => {
+                let new_gsi = allocator
+                    .allocate_gsi()
+                    .ok_or_else(|| io::Error::other("Failed allocating new GSI"))?;
+                self.gsi = Some(new_gsi);
+                Ok(new_gsi)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     fn enable(&mut self, vm: &dyn hypervisor::Vm) -> Result<()> {
+        let gsi = match self.gsi {
+            Some(gsi) => gsi,
+            // Do nothing if no GSI was ever allocated for this route, which means the interrupt is still masked.
+            None => return Ok(()),
+        };
+
         if !self.registered {
             if let Some(ref irq_fd) = self.irq_fd {
-                vm.register_irqfd(irq_fd, self.gsi)
+                vm.register_irqfd(irq_fd, gsi)
                     .map_err(|e| io::Error::other(format!("Failed registering irq_fd: {e}")))?;
             }
 
@@ -57,9 +74,15 @@ impl InterruptRoute {
     }
 
     fn disable(&mut self, vm: &dyn hypervisor::Vm) -> Result<()> {
+        let gsi = match self.gsi {
+            Some(gsi) => gsi,
+            // Do nothing if no GSI was ever allocated for this route, which means the interrupt is still masked.
+            None => return Ok(()),
+        };
+
         if self.registered {
             if let Some(ref irq_fd) = self.irq_fd {
-                vm.unregister_irqfd(irq_fd, self.gsi)
+                vm.unregister_irqfd(irq_fd, gsi)
                     .map_err(|e| io::Error::other(format!("Failed unregistering irq_fd: {e}")))?;
             }
 
@@ -93,14 +116,17 @@ impl InterruptRoute {
     fn set_notifier(&mut self, eventfd: Option<EventFd>, vm: &dyn hypervisor::Vm) -> Result<()> {
         let old_irqfd = core::mem::replace(&mut self.irq_fd, eventfd);
         if self.registered {
+            // A registered route must have a GSI allocated, since enable()
+            // only sets registered=true after using a valid GSI.
+            let gsi = self.gsi.expect("registered route has no GSI allocated");
             if let Some(ref irq_fd) = self.irq_fd {
-                vm.register_irqfd(irq_fd, self.gsi)
+                vm.register_irqfd(irq_fd, gsi)
                     .map_err(|e| io::Error::other(format!("Failed registering irq_fd: {e}")))?;
             }
             // If the irqfd cannot be unregistered, what to do?  Spin?
             // Returning an error isn't helpful as the new irqfd is already registered.
             if let Some(old_irq_fd) = old_irqfd {
-                match vm.unregister_irqfd(&old_irq_fd, self.gsi) {
+                match vm.unregister_irqfd(&old_irq_fd, gsi) {
                     Ok(()) => {}
                     Err(e) => log::warn!("Failed unregistering old irqfd: {e}"),
                 }
@@ -119,6 +145,7 @@ struct MsiInterruptGroup {
     vm: Arc<dyn hypervisor::Vm>,
     gsi_msi_routes: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<u32, RoutingEntry>>>,
     irq_routes: HashMap<InterruptIndex, Mutex<InterruptRoute>>,
+    allocator: Arc<Mutex<SystemAllocator>>,
 }
 
 impl MsiInterruptGroup {
@@ -126,11 +153,13 @@ impl MsiInterruptGroup {
         vm: Arc<dyn hypervisor::Vm>,
         gsi_msi_routes: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<u32, RoutingEntry>>>,
         irq_routes: HashMap<InterruptIndex, Mutex<InterruptRoute>>,
+        allocator: Arc<Mutex<SystemAllocator>>,
     ) -> Self {
         MsiInterruptGroup {
             vm,
             gsi_msi_routes,
             irq_routes,
+            allocator,
         }
     }
 
@@ -194,8 +223,20 @@ impl InterruptSourceGroup for MsiInterruptGroup {
     ) -> Result<()> {
         if let Some(route) = self.irq_routes.get(&index) {
             let mut route = route.lock().unwrap();
+            let gsi = if masked {
+                match route.gsi {
+                    Some(gsi) => gsi,
+                    // No update needed if masked and no GSI was ever allocated
+                    None => return Ok(()),
+                }
+            } else {
+                // Allocate a GSI when the interrupt vector is first unmasked
+                let mut allocator = self.allocator.lock().unwrap();
+                route.allocate_gsi(&mut allocator)?
+            };
+
             let entry = RoutingEntry {
-                route: self.vm.make_routing_entry(route.gsi, &config),
+                route: self.vm.make_routing_entry(gsi, &config),
                 masked,
             };
 
@@ -208,7 +249,7 @@ impl InterruptSourceGroup for MsiInterruptGroup {
             }
 
             let mut routes = self.gsi_msi_routes.lock().unwrap();
-            routes.insert(route.gsi, entry);
+            routes.insert(gsi, entry);
             if set_gsi {
                 self.set_gsi_routes(&routes)?;
             }
@@ -338,17 +379,17 @@ impl MsiInterruptManager {
         &self,
         config: <Self as InterruptManager>::GroupConfig,
     ) -> Result<MsiInterruptGroup> {
-        let mut allocator = self.allocator.lock().unwrap();
         let mut irq_routes: HashMap<InterruptIndex, Mutex<InterruptRoute>> =
             HashMap::with_capacity(config.count as usize);
         for i in config.base..config.base + config.count {
-            irq_routes.insert(i, Mutex::new(InterruptRoute::new(&mut allocator)?));
+            irq_routes.insert(i, Mutex::new(InterruptRoute::new()?));
         }
 
         Ok(MsiInterruptGroup::new(
             self.vm.clone(),
             self.gsi_msi_routes.clone(),
             irq_routes,
+            self.allocator.clone(),
         ))
     }
 }
@@ -357,17 +398,17 @@ impl InterruptManager for MsiInterruptManager {
     type GroupConfig = MsiIrqGroupConfig;
 
     fn create_group(&self, config: Self::GroupConfig) -> Result<Arc<dyn InterruptSourceGroup>> {
-        let mut allocator = self.allocator.lock().unwrap();
         let mut irq_routes: HashMap<InterruptIndex, Mutex<InterruptRoute>> =
             HashMap::with_capacity(config.count as usize);
         for i in config.base..config.base + config.count {
-            irq_routes.insert(i, Mutex::new(InterruptRoute::new(&mut allocator)?));
+            irq_routes.insert(i, Mutex::new(InterruptRoute::new()?));
         }
 
         Ok(Arc::new(MsiInterruptGroup::new(
             self.vm.clone(),
             self.gsi_msi_routes.clone(),
             irq_routes,
+            self.allocator.clone(),
         )))
     }