diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.c
index 0ee1732ce..0194b844a 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 #include <rte_eal.h>
 #include <rte_dev.h>
 
+#include "virtio_user/vhost.h"
 #include "virtio_dev.h"
 #include "virtio_pci.h"
 #include "virtio_logs.h"
@@ -242,37 +243,20 @@ virtio_alloc_queues(struct virtio_dev *dev)
 static int
 virtio_negotiate_features(struct virtio_dev *dev, uint64_t req_features)
 {
-	uint64_t host_features;
+	uint64_t host_features = vtpci_ops(dev)->get_features(dev);
+	int rc;
 
-	/* Prepare guest_features: feature that driver wants to support */
-	PMD_INIT_LOG(DEBUG, "guest_features before negotiate = %" PRIx64,
-		req_features);
+	PMD_INIT_LOG(DEBUG, "guest features = %" PRIx64, req_features);
+	PMD_INIT_LOG(DEBUG, "device features = %" PRIx64, host_features);
 
-	/* Read device(host) feature bits */
-	host_features = vtpci_ops(dev)->get_features(dev);
-	PMD_INIT_LOG(DEBUG, "host_features before negotiate = %" PRIx64,
-		host_features);
-
-	/*
-	 * Negotiate features: Subset of device feature bits are written back
-	 * guest feature bits.
-	 */
-	dev->req_guest_features = req_features;
-	dev->guest_features = vtpci_negotiate_features(dev, host_features);
-	PMD_INIT_LOG(DEBUG, "features after negotiate = %" PRIx64,
-		dev->guest_features);
-
-	if (!vtpci_with_feature(dev, VIRTIO_F_VERSION_1)) {
-		if (dev->modern) {
-			PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR,
-				     "VIRTIO_F_VERSION_1 features is not enabled.");
-			return -1;
-		}
-
-		return 0;
+	rc = vtpci_ops(dev)->set_features(dev, req_features & host_features);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "failed to negotiate device features.");
+		return -1;
 	}
 
-	dev->modern = 1;
+	PMD_INIT_LOG(DEBUG, "negotiated features = %" PRIx64, dev->negotiated_features);
+
 	vtpci_set_status(dev, VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_FEATURES_OK);
 	if (!(vtpci_get_status(dev) & VIRTIO_CONFIG_STATUS_FEATURES_OK)) {
 		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR,
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.h b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.h
index bff71dc8a..29793537c 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.h
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.h
@@ -47,8 +47,10 @@ struct virtio_dev {
 
 	/* Device index. */
 	uint32_t	id;
-	uint64_t	req_guest_features;
-	uint64_t	guest_features;
+
+	/* Common device & guest features. */
+	uint64_t	negotiated_features;
+
 	int		is_hw;
 
 	/** Modern/legacy virtio device flag. */
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.c
index f54510ae2..a3b1a21b1 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.c
@@ -200,16 +200,19 @@ legacy_get_features(struct virtio_dev *dev)
 	return dst;
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 legacy_set_features(struct virtio_dev *dev, uint64_t features)
 {
 	if ((features >> 32) != 0) {
 		PMD_DRV_LOG(ERR,
 			"only 32 bit features are allowed for legacy virtio!");
-		return;
+		return -1;
 	}
 	rte_pci_ioport_write(vtpci_io(dev), &features, 4,
 		VIRTIO_PCI_GUEST_FEATURES);
+	dev->negotiated_features = features;
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static uint8_t
@@ -373,11 +376,17 @@ modern_get_features(struct virtio_dev *dev)
 	return ((uint64_t)features_hi << 32) | features_lo;
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 modern_set_features(struct virtio_dev *dev, uint64_t features)
 {
 	struct virtio_hw *hw = virtio_dev_get_hw(dev);
 
+	if ((features & (1ULL << VIRTIO_F_VERSION_1)) == 0) {
+		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR,
+			     "VIRTIO_F_VERSION_1 feature is not enabled.");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	rte_write32(0, &hw->common_cfg->guest_feature_select);
 	rte_write32(features & ((1ULL << 32) - 1),
 		    &hw->common_cfg->guest_feature);
@@ -385,6 +394,10 @@ modern_set_features(struct virtio_dev *dev, uint64_t features)
 	rte_write32(1, &hw->common_cfg->guest_feature_select);
 	rte_write32(features >> 32,
 		    &hw->common_cfg->guest_feature);
+
+	dev->negotiated_features = features;
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static uint8_t
@@ -535,21 +548,6 @@ vtpci_write_dev_config(struct virtio_dev *dev, size_t offset,
 	vtpci_ops(dev)->write_dev_cfg(dev, offset, src, length);
 }
 
-uint64_t
-vtpci_negotiate_features(struct virtio_dev *dev, uint64_t host_features)
-{
-	uint64_t features;
-
-	/*
-	 * Limit negotiated features to what the driver, virtqueue, and
-	 * host all support.
-	 */
-	features = host_features & dev->req_guest_features;
-	vtpci_ops(dev)->set_features(dev, features);
-
-	return features;
-}
-
 void
 vtpci_reset(struct virtio_dev *dev)
 {
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.h b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.h
index e59c1fd52..979ff5237 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.h
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.h
@@ -196,8 +196,18 @@ struct virtio_pci_ops {
 	uint8_t (*get_status)(struct virtio_dev *hw);
 	void    (*set_status)(struct virtio_dev *hw, uint8_t status);
 
-	uint64_t (*get_features)(struct virtio_dev *hw);
-	void     (*set_features)(struct virtio_dev *hw, uint64_t features);
+	/**
+	 * Get device features. The features might be already
+	 * negotiated with driver (guest) features.
+	 */
+	uint64_t (*get_features)(struct virtio_dev *vdev);
+
+	/**
+	 * Negotiate and set device features.
+	 * The negotiation can fail with return code -1.
+	 * This function should also set vdev->negotiated_features field.
+	 */
+	int     (*set_features)(struct virtio_dev *vdev, uint64_t features);
 
 	uint8_t (*get_isr)(struct virtio_dev *hw);
 
@@ -264,7 +274,7 @@ extern struct virtio_driver g_virtio_driver;
 static inline int
 vtpci_with_feature(struct virtio_dev *dev, uint64_t bit)
 {
-	return (dev->guest_features & (1ULL << bit)) != 0;
+	return (dev->negotiated_features & (1ULL << bit)) != 0;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user.c
index a50a0cb53..ffda44ea5 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user.c
@@ -94,17 +94,31 @@ static uint64_t
 virtio_user_get_features(struct virtio_dev *vdev)
 {
 	struct virtio_user_dev *dev = virtio_dev_get_user_dev(vdev);
+	uint64_t features;
 
-	/* unmask feature bits defined in vhost user protocol */
-	return dev->device_features;
+	if (dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_GET_FEATURES, &features) < 0) {
+		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "get_features failed: %s", strerror(errno));
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	return features;
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 virtio_user_set_features(struct virtio_dev *vdev, uint64_t features)
 {
 	struct virtio_user_dev *dev = virtio_dev_get_user_dev(vdev);
+	int ret;
 
-	dev->features = features & dev->device_features;
+	ret = dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_SET_FEATURES, &features);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	vdev->negotiated_features = features;
+	vdev->modern = vtpci_with_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_F_VERSION_1);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static uint8_t
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
index a3b376ce9..8a96112e0 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
@@ -118,36 +118,22 @@ virtio_user_queue_setup(struct virtio_user_dev *dev,
 int
 virtio_user_start_device(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 {
-	uint64_t features;
 	int ret;
 
-	/* Step 0: tell vhost to create queues */
+	/* tell vhost to create queues */
 	if (virtio_user_queue_setup(dev, virtio_user_create_queue) < 0)
-		goto error;
+		return -1;
 
-	/* Step 1: set features */
-	features = dev->features;
-
-	printf("features = %jx\n", features);
-
-	ret = dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_SET_FEATURES, &features);
-	if (ret < 0)
-		goto error;
-	PMD_DRV_LOG(INFO, "set features: %" PRIx64, features);
-
-	/* Step 2: share memory regions */
+	/* share memory regions */
 	ret = dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_SET_MEM_TABLE, NULL);
 	if (ret < 0)
-		goto error;
+		return -1;
 
-	/* Step 3: kick queues */
+	/* kick queues */
 	if (virtio_user_queue_setup(dev, virtio_user_kick_queue) < 0)
-		goto error;
+		return -1;
 
 	return 0;
-error:
-	/* TODO: free resource here or caller to check */
-	return -1;
 }
 
 int virtio_user_stop_device(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
@@ -229,12 +215,6 @@ virtio_user_dev_init(char *path, int queue_size)
 		goto err;
 	}
 
-	if (dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_GET_FEATURES,
-			    &dev->device_features) < 0) {
-		PMD_INIT_LOG(ERR, "get_features failed: %s", strerror(errno));
-		goto err;
-	}
-
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&g_virtio_driver.init_ctrlrs, vdev, tailq);
 	return vdev;
 
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
index 0220a2f53..1d03dee63 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
@@ -58,10 +58,7 @@ struct virtio_user_dev {
 	int		callfds[VIRTIO_MAX_VIRTQUEUES];
 	int		kickfds[VIRTIO_MAX_VIRTQUEUES];
 	uint32_t	queue_size;
-	uint64_t	features; /* the negotiated features with driver,
-				   * and will be sync with device
-				   */
-	uint64_t	device_features; /* supported features by device */
+
 	uint8_t		status;
 	uint8_t		port_id;
 	char		path[PATH_MAX];