diff --git a/qemu/qmp.go b/qemu/qmp.go
index 9b21d96480..f35aa3c31e 100644
--- a/qemu/qmp.go
+++ b/qemu/qmp.go
@@ -459,7 +459,6 @@ func (q *QMP) parseVersion(version []byte) *QMPVersion {
 	for _, k := range []string{"QMP", "version", "qemu"} {
 		versionMap, _ = versionMap[k].(map[string]interface{})
 		if versionMap == nil {
-			q.cfg.Logger.Errorf("Invalid QMP greeting: %s", string(version))
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
@@ -530,31 +529,9 @@ func (q *QMP) mainLoop() {
 		close(q.disconnectedCh)
 	}()
 
-	var version []byte
 	var cmdDoneCh <-chan struct{}
-
-DONE:
-	for {
-		var ok bool
-		select {
-		case cmd, ok := <-q.cmdCh:
-			if !ok {
-				return
-			}
-			_ = cmdQueue.PushBack(&cmd)
-		case version, ok = <-fromVMCh:
-			if !ok {
-				return
-			}
-			if cmdQueue.Len() >= 1 {
-				q.writeNextQMPCommand(cmdQueue)
-				cmdDoneCh = currentCommandDoneCh(cmdQueue)
-			}
-			break DONE
-		}
-	}
-
-	q.connectedCh <- q.parseVersion(version)
+	var version *QMPVersion
+	ready := false
 
 	for {
 		select {
@@ -564,21 +541,37 @@ DONE:
 			}
 			_ = cmdQueue.PushBack(&cmd)
 
-			// We only want to execute the new cmd if there
-			// are no other commands pending.  If there are
-			// commands pending our new command will get
-			// run when the pending commands complete.
-
-			if cmdQueue.Len() == 1 {
+			// We only want to execute the new cmd if QMP is
+			// ready and there are no other commands pending.
+			// If there are commands pending our new command
+			// will get run when the pending commands complete.
+			if ready && cmdQueue.Len() == 1 {
 				q.writeNextQMPCommand(cmdQueue)
 				cmdDoneCh = currentCommandDoneCh(cmdQueue)
 			}
+
 		case line, ok := <-fromVMCh:
 			if !ok {
 				return
 			}
+
+			if !ready {
+				// Not ready yet. Check if line is the QMP version.
+				// Sometimes QMP events are thrown before the QMP version,
+				// hence it's not a guarantee that the first data read from
+				// the channel is the QMP version.
+				version = q.parseVersion(line)
+				if version != nil {
+					q.connectedCh <- version
+					ready = true
+				}
+				// Do not process QMP input to avoid deadlocks.
+				break
+			}
+
 			q.processQMPInput(line, cmdQueue)
 			cmdDoneCh = currentCommandDoneCh(cmdQueue)
+
 		case <-cmdDoneCh:
 			q.cancelCurrentCommand(cmdQueue)
 			cmdDoneCh = currentCommandDoneCh(cmdQueue)
diff --git a/qemu/qmp_test.go b/qemu/qmp_test.go
index b12c798a17..61710669f8 100644
--- a/qemu/qmp_test.go
+++ b/qemu/qmp_test.go
@@ -103,6 +103,19 @@ func newQMPTestCommandBuffer(t *testing.T) *qmpTestCommandBuffer {
 	return b
 }
 
+func newQMPTestCommandBufferNoGreeting(t *testing.T) *qmpTestCommandBuffer {
+	b := &qmpTestCommandBuffer{
+		newDataCh: make(chan []byte, 1),
+		t:         t,
+		buf:       bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{}),
+		forceFail: make(chan struct{}),
+	}
+	b.cmds = make([]qmpTestCommand, 0, 8)
+	b.events = make([]qmpTestEvent, 0, 8)
+	b.results = make([]qmpTestResult, 0, 8)
+	return b
+}
+
 func (b *qmpTestCommandBuffer) startEventLoop(wg *sync.WaitGroup) {
 	wg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
@@ -1504,3 +1517,48 @@ func TestExecuteNVDIMMDeviceAdd(t *testing.T) {
 	q.Shutdown()
 	<-disconnectedCh
 }
+
+func TestMainLoopEventBeforeGreeting(t *testing.T) {
+	const (
+		seconds      = 1352167040730
+		microseconds = 123456
+	)
+
+	connectedCh := make(chan *QMPVersion)
+	disconnectedCh := make(chan struct{})
+	buf := newQMPTestCommandBufferNoGreeting(t)
+
+	// Add events
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	buf.AddEvent("VSERPORT_CHANGE", time.Millisecond*100,
+		map[string]interface{}{
+			"open": false,
+			"id":   "channel0",
+		},
+		map[string]interface{}{
+			"seconds":      seconds,
+			"microseconds": microseconds,
+		})
+	buf.AddEvent("POWERDOWN", time.Millisecond*200, nil,
+		map[string]interface{}{
+			"seconds":      seconds,
+			"microseconds": microseconds,
+		})
+
+	// register a channel to receive events
+	eventCh := make(chan QMPEvent)
+	cfg := QMPConfig{EventCh: eventCh, Logger: qmpTestLogger{}}
+	q := startQMPLoop(buf, cfg, connectedCh, disconnectedCh)
+
+	// Start events, this will lead to a deadlock if mainLoop is not implemented
+	// correctly
+	buf.startEventLoop(&wg)
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	// Send greeting and check version
+	buf.newDataCh <- []byte(qmpHello)
+	checkVersion(t, connectedCh)
+
+	q.Shutdown()
+	<-disconnectedCh
+}