diff --git a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/blk.rs b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/blk.rs
index ae85a89bf..7761231e2 100644
--- a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/blk.rs
+++ b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/blk.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use virtio_bindings::virtio_blk::{
     VIRTIO_BLK_F_GEOMETRY, VIRTIO_BLK_F_MQ, VIRTIO_BLK_F_RO, VIRTIO_BLK_F_SEG_MAX,
     VIRTIO_BLK_F_SIZE_MAX, VIRTIO_BLK_F_TOPOLOGY, VIRTIO_BLK_F_WRITE_ZEROES,
 };
-use vm_memory::{ByteValued, GuestMemoryAtomic};
+use vm_memory::ByteValued;
 use vm_migration::protocol::MemoryRangeTable;
 use vm_migration::{Migratable, MigratableError, Pausable, Snapshot, Snapshottable, Transportable};
 use vmm_sys_util::eventfd::EventFd;
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ use super::vu_common_ctrl::{VhostUserConfig, VhostUserHandle};
 use super::{DEFAULT_VIRTIO_FEATURES, Error, Result};
 use crate::seccomp_filters::Thread;
 use crate::vhost_user::{VhostUserCommon, VhostUserState};
-use crate::{GuestMemoryMmap, GuestRegionMmap, VIRTIO_F_ACCESS_PLATFORM};
+use crate::{GuestRegionMmap, VIRTIO_F_ACCESS_PLATFORM};
 
 const DEFAULT_QUEUE_NUMBER: usize = 1;
 
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ pub struct Blk {
     vu_common: VhostUserCommon,
     id: String,
     config: VirtioBlockConfig,
-    guest_memory: Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
     seccomp_action: SeccompAction,
     exit_evt: EventFd,
     access_platform_enabled: bool,
@@ -191,7 +190,6 @@ impl Blk {
             },
             id,
             config,
-            guest_memory: None,
             seccomp_action,
             exit_evt,
             access_platform_enabled,
@@ -275,7 +273,6 @@ impl VirtioDevice for Blk {
         self.vu_common
             .virtio_common
             .activate(&queues, interrupt_cb.clone())?;
-        self.guest_memory = Some(mem.clone());
 
         let backend_req_handler: Option<FrontendReqHandler<BackendReqHandler>> = None;
 
@@ -321,7 +318,7 @@ impl VirtioDevice for Blk {
         &mut self,
         region: &Arc<GuestRegionMmap>,
     ) -> std::result::Result<(), crate::Error> {
-        self.vu_common.add_memory_region(&self.guest_memory, region)
+        self.vu_common.add_memory_region(region)
     }
 }
 
@@ -350,7 +347,7 @@ impl Transportable for Blk {}
 
 impl Migratable for Blk {
     fn start_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
-        self.vu_common.start_dirty_log(&self.guest_memory)
+        self.vu_common.start_dirty_log()
     }
 
     fn stop_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
@@ -358,7 +355,7 @@ impl Migratable for Blk {
     }
 
     fn dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<MemoryRangeTable, MigratableError> {
-        self.vu_common.dirty_log(&self.guest_memory)
+        self.vu_common.dirty_log()
     }
 
     fn start_migration(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
diff --git a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/fs.rs b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/fs.rs
index e501e54e8..7f1ae385c 100644
--- a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/fs.rs
+++ b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/fs.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use serde_with::{Bytes, serde_as};
 use vhost::vhost_user::message::{VhostUserProtocolFeatures, VhostUserVirtioFeatures};
 use vhost::vhost_user::{FrontendReqHandler, VhostUserFrontend, VhostUserFrontendReqHandler};
 use vm_device::UserspaceMapping;
-use vm_memory::{ByteValued, GuestMemoryAtomic};
+use vm_memory::ByteValued;
 use vm_migration::protocol::MemoryRangeTable;
 use vm_migration::{Migratable, MigratableError, Pausable, Snapshot, Snapshottable, Transportable};
 use vmm_sys_util::eventfd::EventFd;
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ use super::{DEFAULT_VIRTIO_FEATURES, Error, Result};
 use crate::seccomp_filters::Thread;
 use crate::vhost_user::{VhostUserCommon, VhostUserState};
 use crate::{
-    ActivateResult, GuestMemoryMmap, GuestRegionMmap, MmapRegion, VIRTIO_F_ACCESS_PLATFORM,
-    VirtioCommon, VirtioDevice, VirtioDeviceType, VirtioSharedMemoryList,
+    ActivateResult, GuestRegionMmap, MmapRegion, VIRTIO_F_ACCESS_PLATFORM, VirtioCommon,
+    VirtioDevice, VirtioDeviceType, VirtioSharedMemoryList,
 };
 
 const NUM_QUEUE_OFFSET: usize = 1;
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ pub struct Fs {
     // which will be automatically dropped when the device is dropped
     cache: Option<(VirtioSharedMemoryList, MmapRegion)>,
     seccomp_action: SeccompAction,
-    guest_memory: Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
     exit_evt: EventFd,
     access_platform_enabled: bool,
 }
@@ -198,7 +197,6 @@ impl Fs {
             config,
             cache,
             seccomp_action,
-            guest_memory: None,
             exit_evt,
             access_platform_enabled,
         })
@@ -250,7 +248,6 @@ impl VirtioDevice for Fs {
         self.vu_common
             .virtio_common
             .activate(&queues, interrupt_cb.clone())?;
-        self.guest_memory = Some(mem.clone());
 
         let backend_req_handler: Option<FrontendReqHandler<BackendReqHandler>> = None;
         // Run a dedicated thread for handling potential reconnections with
@@ -312,7 +309,7 @@ impl VirtioDevice for Fs {
         &mut self,
         region: &Arc<GuestRegionMmap>,
     ) -> std::result::Result<(), crate::Error> {
-        self.vu_common.add_memory_region(&self.guest_memory, region)
+        self.vu_common.add_memory_region(region)
     }
 
     fn userspace_mappings(&self) -> Vec<UserspaceMapping> {
@@ -355,7 +352,7 @@ impl Transportable for Fs {}
 
 impl Migratable for Fs {
     fn start_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
-        self.vu_common.start_dirty_log(&self.guest_memory)
+        self.vu_common.start_dirty_log()
     }
 
     fn stop_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
@@ -363,7 +360,7 @@ impl Migratable for Fs {
     }
 
     fn dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<MemoryRangeTable, MigratableError> {
-        self.vu_common.dirty_log(&self.guest_memory)
+        self.vu_common.dirty_log()
     }
 
     fn start_migration(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
diff --git a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/generic_vhost_user.rs b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/generic_vhost_user.rs
index ca744f574..4d403c0cd 100644
--- a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/generic_vhost_user.rs
+++ b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/generic_vhost_user.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ use vhost::vhost_user::message::{
 };
 use vhost::vhost_user::{FrontendReqHandler, VhostUserFrontend, VhostUserFrontendReqHandler};
 use vm_device::UserspaceMapping;
-use vm_memory::GuestMemoryAtomic;
 use vm_migration::protocol::MemoryRangeTable;
 use vm_migration::{Migratable, MigratableError, Pausable, Snapshot, Snapshottable, Transportable};
 use vmm_sys_util::eventfd::EventFd;
@@ -24,8 +23,8 @@ use super::{Error, Result};
 use crate::seccomp_filters::Thread;
 use crate::vhost_user::{VhostUserCommon, VhostUserState};
 use crate::{
-    ActivateResult, GuestMemoryMmap, GuestRegionMmap, MmapRegion, VIRTIO_F_ACCESS_PLATFORM,
-    VirtioCommon, VirtioDevice, VirtioInterrupt, VirtioInterruptType, VirtioSharedMemoryList,
+    ActivateResult, GuestRegionMmap, MmapRegion, VIRTIO_F_ACCESS_PLATFORM, VirtioCommon,
+    VirtioDevice, VirtioInterrupt, VirtioInterruptType, VirtioSharedMemoryList,
 };
 
 pub type State = VhostUserState<()>;
@@ -53,7 +52,6 @@ pub struct GenericVhostUser {
     // which will be automatically dropped when the device is dropped
     cache: Option<(VirtioSharedMemoryList, MmapRegion)>,
     seccomp_action: SeccompAction,
-    guest_memory: Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
     exit_evt: EventFd,
     access_platform_enabled: bool,
     cfg_warning: AtomicBool,
@@ -172,7 +170,6 @@ since the backend only supports {backend_num_queues}\n",
             id,
             cache,
             seccomp_action,
-            guest_memory: None,
             exit_evt,
             access_platform_enabled,
             cfg_warning: AtomicBool::new(false),
@@ -288,7 +285,6 @@ impl VirtioDevice for GenericVhostUser {
         self.vu_common
             .virtio_common
             .activate(&queues, interrupt_cb.clone())?;
-        self.guest_memory = Some(mem.clone());
 
         let has_backend_req = self.vu_common.acked_protocol_features
             & VhostUserProtocolFeatures::BACKEND_REQ.bits()
@@ -374,7 +370,7 @@ impl VirtioDevice for GenericVhostUser {
         &mut self,
         region: &Arc<GuestRegionMmap>,
     ) -> std::result::Result<(), crate::Error> {
-        self.vu_common.add_memory_region(&self.guest_memory, region)
+        self.vu_common.add_memory_region(region)
     }
 
     fn userspace_mappings(&self) -> Vec<UserspaceMapping> {
@@ -417,7 +413,7 @@ impl Transportable for GenericVhostUser {}
 
 impl Migratable for GenericVhostUser {
     fn start_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
-        self.vu_common.start_dirty_log(&self.guest_memory)
+        self.vu_common.start_dirty_log()
     }
 
     fn stop_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
@@ -425,7 +421,7 @@ impl Migratable for GenericVhostUser {
     }
 
     fn dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<MemoryRangeTable, MigratableError> {
-        self.vu_common.dirty_log(&self.guest_memory)
+        self.vu_common.dirty_log()
     }
 
     fn start_migration(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
diff --git a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/mod.rs b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/mod.rs
index c9cceac93..957ecc7c9 100644
--- a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/mod.rs
+++ b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/mod.rs
@@ -459,6 +459,7 @@ impl<C> VhostUserState<C> {
 pub struct VhostUserCommon {
     pub virtio_common: VirtioCommon,
     pub vu: Option<Arc<Mutex<VhostUserHandle>>>,
+    pub guest_memory: Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
     pub acked_protocol_features: u64,
     pub socket_path: String,
     pub vu_num_queues: usize,
@@ -481,6 +482,8 @@ impl VhostUserCommon {
         kill_evt: EventFd,
         pause_evt: EventFd,
     ) -> std::result::Result<VhostUserEpollHandler<T>, ActivateError> {
+        self.guest_memory = Some(mem.clone());
+
         if self.disconnected.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
             warn!(
                 "Not activating disconnected vhost-user device for socket {}",
@@ -626,17 +629,13 @@ impl VhostUserCommon {
         self.vu = None;
     }
 
-    fn add_memory_region_internal(
-        &self,
-        guest_memory: &Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
-        region: &Arc<GuestRegionMmap>,
-    ) -> Result<()> {
+    fn add_memory_region_internal(&self, region: &Arc<GuestRegionMmap>) -> Result<()> {
         if let Some(vu) = &self.vu {
             if self.acked_protocol_features & VhostUserProtocolFeatures::CONFIGURE_MEM_SLOTS.bits()
                 != 0
             {
                 return vu.lock().unwrap().add_memory_region(region);
-            } else if let Some(guest_memory) = guest_memory {
+            } else if let Some(guest_memory) = &self.guest_memory {
                 return vu
                     .lock()
                     .unwrap()
@@ -649,7 +648,6 @@ impl VhostUserCommon {
 
     pub fn add_memory_region(
         &mut self,
-        guest_memory: &Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
         region: &Arc<GuestRegionMmap>,
     ) -> std::result::Result<(), crate::Error> {
         if self.disconnected.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
@@ -659,7 +657,7 @@ impl VhostUserCommon {
             );
         }
 
-        if let Err(e) = self.add_memory_region_internal(guest_memory, region) {
+        if let Err(e) = self.add_memory_region_internal(region) {
             if e.is_transport_lost() {
                 warn!(
                     "Failed updating memory on vhost-user backend for socket {}: {e:?}; \
@@ -784,12 +782,9 @@ impl VhostUserCommon {
         Ok(snapshot)
     }
 
-    pub fn start_dirty_log(
-        &mut self,
-        guest_memory: &Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
-    ) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
+    pub fn start_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
         if let Some(vu) = &self.vu {
-            if let Some(guest_memory) = guest_memory {
+            if let Some(guest_memory) = &self.guest_memory {
                 let last_ram_addr = guest_memory.memory().last_addr().raw_value();
                 vu.lock()
                     .unwrap()
@@ -821,12 +816,9 @@ impl VhostUserCommon {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn dirty_log(
-        &mut self,
-        guest_memory: &Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
-    ) -> std::result::Result<MemoryRangeTable, MigratableError> {
+    pub fn dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<MemoryRangeTable, MigratableError> {
         if let Some(vu) = &self.vu {
-            if let Some(guest_memory) = guest_memory {
+            if let Some(guest_memory) = &self.guest_memory {
                 let last_ram_addr = guest_memory.memory().last_addr().raw_value();
                 vu.lock().unwrap().dirty_log(last_ram_addr).map_err(|e| {
                     MigratableError::DirtyLog(anyhow!(
diff --git a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/net.rs b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/net.rs
index 40725b8e1..e54e2c2bc 100644
--- a/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/net.rs
+++ b/virtio-devices/src/vhost_user/net.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use virtio_bindings::virtio_net::{
 };
 use virtio_bindings::virtio_ring::VIRTIO_RING_F_EVENT_IDX;
 use virtio_queue::QueueT;
-use vm_memory::{ByteValued, GuestMemoryAtomic};
+use vm_memory::ByteValued;
 use vm_migration::protocol::MemoryRangeTable;
 use vm_migration::{Migratable, MigratableError, Pausable, Snapshot, Snapshottable, Transportable};
 use vmm_sys_util::eventfd::EventFd;
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ use crate::seccomp_filters::Thread;
 use crate::vhost_user::vu_common_ctrl::{VhostUserConfig, VhostUserHandle};
 use crate::vhost_user::{DEFAULT_VIRTIO_FEATURES, Error, Result, VhostUserCommon, VhostUserState};
 use crate::{
-    ActivateResult, GuestMemoryMmap, GuestRegionMmap, NetCtrlEpollHandler,
-    VIRTIO_F_ACCESS_PLATFORM, VirtioCommon, VirtioDevice, VirtioDeviceType,
+    ActivateResult, GuestRegionMmap, NetCtrlEpollHandler, VIRTIO_F_ACCESS_PLATFORM, VirtioCommon,
+    VirtioDevice, VirtioDeviceType,
 };
 
 const DEFAULT_QUEUE_NUMBER: usize = 2;
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ pub struct Net {
     vu_common: VhostUserCommon,
     id: String,
     config: VirtioNetConfig,
-    guest_memory: Option<GuestMemoryAtomic<GuestMemoryMmap>>,
     seccomp_action: SeccompAction,
     exit_evt: EventFd,
     access_platform_enabled: bool,
@@ -218,7 +217,6 @@ impl Net {
                 ..Default::default()
             },
             config,
-            guest_memory: None,
             seccomp_action,
             exit_evt,
             access_platform_enabled,
@@ -271,7 +269,6 @@ impl VirtioDevice for Net {
         self.vu_common
             .virtio_common
             .activate(&queues, interrupt_cb.clone())?;
-        self.guest_memory = Some(mem.clone());
 
         let num_queues = queues.len();
         let event_idx = self
@@ -370,7 +367,7 @@ impl VirtioDevice for Net {
         &mut self,
         region: &Arc<GuestRegionMmap>,
     ) -> std::result::Result<(), crate::Error> {
-        self.vu_common.add_memory_region(&self.guest_memory, region)
+        self.vu_common.add_memory_region(region)
     }
 }
 
@@ -399,7 +396,7 @@ impl Transportable for Net {}
 
 impl Migratable for Net {
     fn start_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
-        self.vu_common.start_dirty_log(&self.guest_memory)
+        self.vu_common.start_dirty_log()
     }
 
     fn stop_dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {
@@ -407,7 +404,7 @@ impl Migratable for Net {
     }
 
     fn dirty_log(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<MemoryRangeTable, MigratableError> {
-        self.vu_common.dirty_log(&self.guest_memory)
+        self.vu_common.dirty_log()
     }
 
     fn start_migration(&mut self) -> std::result::Result<(), MigratableError> {