diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 6f75e2eb9..5df84d24e 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ vnc_jpeg=""
 vnc_png=""
 vnc_thread="no"
 xen=""
+xen_ctrl_version=""
 linux_aio=""
 attr=""
 vhost_net=""
@@ -1180,20 +1181,81 @@ fi
 
 if test "$xen" != "no" ; then
   xen_libs="-lxenstore -lxenctrl -lxenguest"
+
+  # Xen unstable
   cat > $TMPC <<EOF
 #include <xenctrl.h>
 #include <xs.h>
-int main(void) { xs_daemon_open(); xc_interface_open(); return 0; }
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <xen/hvm/hvm_info_table.h>
+#if !defined(HVM_MAX_VCPUS)
+# error HVM_MAX_VCPUS not defined
+#endif
+int main(void) {
+  xc_interface *xc;
+  xs_daemon_open();
+  xc = xc_interface_open(0, 0, 0);
+  xc_hvm_set_mem_type(0, 0, HVMMEM_ram_ro, 0, 0);
+  xc_gnttab_open(NULL, 0);
+  return 0;
+}
 EOF
   if compile_prog "" "$xen_libs" ; then
+    xen_ctrl_version=410
     xen=yes
-    libs_softmmu="$xen_libs $libs_softmmu"
+
+  # Xen 4.0.0
+  elif (
+      cat > $TMPC <<EOF
+#include <xenctrl.h>
+#include <xs.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <xen/hvm/hvm_info_table.h>
+#if !defined(HVM_MAX_VCPUS)
+# error HVM_MAX_VCPUS not defined
+#endif
+int main(void) {
+  xs_daemon_open();
+  xc_interface_open();
+  xc_gnttab_open();
+  xc_hvm_set_mem_type(0, 0, HVMMEM_ram_ro, 0, 0);
+  return 0;
+}
+EOF
+      compile_prog "" "$xen_libs"
+    ) ; then
+    xen_ctrl_version=400
+    xen=yes
+
+  # Xen 3.3.0, 3.4.0
+  elif (
+      cat > $TMPC <<EOF
+#include <xenctrl.h>
+#include <xs.h>
+int main(void) {
+  xs_daemon_open();
+  xc_interface_open();
+  xc_gnttab_open();
+  xc_hvm_set_mem_type(0, 0, HVMMEM_ram_ro, 0, 0);
+  return 0;
+}
+EOF
+      compile_prog "" "$xen_libs"
+    ) ; then
+    xen_ctrl_version=330
+    xen=yes
+
+  # Xen not found or unsupported
   else
     if test "$xen" = "yes" ; then
       feature_not_found "xen"
     fi
     xen=no
   fi
+
+  if test "$xen" = yes; then
+    libs_softmmu="$xen_libs $libs_softmmu"
+  fi
 fi
 
 ##########################################
@@ -2855,6 +2917,7 @@ if test "$bluez" = "yes" ; then
 fi
 if test "$xen" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_XEN=y" >> $config_host_mak
+  echo "CONFIG_XEN_CTRL_INTERFACE_VERSION=$xen_ctrl_version" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
 if test "$io_thread" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_IOTHREAD=y" >> $config_host_mak
diff --git a/hw/xen_backend.c b/hw/xen_backend.c
index 9f4ec4b40..5f58a3fe6 100644
--- a/hw/xen_backend.c
+++ b/hw/xen_backend.c
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 /* public */
-int xen_xc;
+XenXC xen_xc = XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE;
+XenGnttab xen_xcg = XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE;
 struct xs_handle *xenstore = NULL;
 const char *xen_protocol;
 
@@ -214,8 +215,8 @@ static struct XenDevice *xen_be_get_xendev(const char *type, int dom, int dev,
     xendev->debug      = debug;
     xendev->local_port = -1;
 
-    xendev->evtchndev = xc_evtchn_open();
-    if (xendev->evtchndev < 0) {
+    xendev->evtchndev = xen_xc_evtchn_open(NULL, 0);
+    if (xendev->evtchndev == XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
         xen_be_printf(NULL, 0, "can't open evtchn device\n");
         qemu_free(xendev);
         return NULL;
@@ -223,15 +224,15 @@ static struct XenDevice *xen_be_get_xendev(const char *type, int dom, int dev,
     fcntl(xc_evtchn_fd(xendev->evtchndev), F_SETFD, FD_CLOEXEC);
 
     if (ops->flags & DEVOPS_FLAG_NEED_GNTDEV) {
-        xendev->gnttabdev = xc_gnttab_open();
-        if (xendev->gnttabdev < 0) {
+        xendev->gnttabdev = xen_xc_gnttab_open(NULL, 0);
+        if (xendev->gnttabdev == XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
             xen_be_printf(NULL, 0, "can't open gnttab device\n");
             xc_evtchn_close(xendev->evtchndev);
             qemu_free(xendev);
             return NULL;
         }
     } else {
-        xendev->gnttabdev = -1;
+        xendev->gnttabdev = XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE;
     }
 
     QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&xendevs, xendev, next);
@@ -277,10 +278,10 @@ static struct XenDevice *xen_be_del_xendev(int dom, int dev)
             qemu_free(xendev->fe);
         }
 
-        if (xendev->evtchndev >= 0) {
+        if (xendev->evtchndev != XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
             xc_evtchn_close(xendev->evtchndev);
         }
-        if (xendev->gnttabdev >= 0) {
+        if (xendev->gnttabdev != XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
             xc_gnttab_close(xendev->gnttabdev);
         }
 
@@ -664,8 +665,8 @@ int xen_be_init(void)
         goto err;
     }
 
-    xen_xc = xc_interface_open();
-    if (xen_xc == -1) {
+    xen_xc = xen_xc_interface_open(0, 0, 0);
+    if (xen_xc == XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE) {
         xen_be_printf(NULL, 0, "can't open xen interface\n");
         goto err;
     }
diff --git a/hw/xen_backend.h b/hw/xen_backend.h
index 1b428e3bf..6401c85a7 100644
--- a/hw/xen_backend.h
+++ b/hw/xen_backend.h
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ struct XenDevice {
     int                remote_port;
     int                local_port;
 
-    int                evtchndev;
-    int                gnttabdev;
+    XenEvtchn          evtchndev;
+    XenGnttab          gnttabdev;
 
     struct XenDevOps   *ops;
     QTAILQ_ENTRY(XenDevice) next;
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ struct XenDevice {
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 /* variables */
-extern int xen_xc;
+extern XenXC xen_xc;
 extern struct xs_handle *xenstore;
 extern const char *xen_protocol;
 
diff --git a/hw/xen_common.h b/hw/xen_common.h
index 8a55b44f0..47b8afea0 100644
--- a/hw/xen_common.h
+++ b/hw/xen_common.h
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef QEMU_HW_XEN_COMMON_H
 #define QEMU_HW_XEN_COMMON_H 1
 
+#include "config-host.h"
+
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <inttypes.h>
 
@@ -13,22 +15,87 @@
 #include "qemu-queue.h"
 
 /*
- * tweaks needed to build with different xen versions
- *  0x00030205 -> 3.1.0
- *  0x00030207 -> 3.2.0
- *  0x00030208 -> unstable
+ * We don't support Xen prior to 3.3.0.
  */
-#include <xen/xen-compat.h>
-#if __XEN_LATEST_INTERFACE_VERSION__ < 0x00030205
-# define evtchn_port_or_error_t int
+
+/* Xen before 4.0 */
+#if CONFIG_XEN_CTRL_INTERFACE_VERSION < 400
+static inline void *xc_map_foreign_bulk(int xc_handle, uint32_t dom, int prot,
+                                        xen_pfn_t *arr, int *err,
+                                        unsigned int num)
+{
+    return xc_map_foreign_batch(xc_handle, dom, prot, arr, num);
+}
 #endif
-#if __XEN_LATEST_INTERFACE_VERSION__ < 0x00030207
-# define xc_map_foreign_pages xc_map_foreign_batch
-#endif
-#if __XEN_LATEST_INTERFACE_VERSION__ < 0x00030208
-# define xen_mb()  mb()
-# define xen_rmb() rmb()
-# define xen_wmb() wmb()
+
+
+/* Xen before 4.1 */
+#if CONFIG_XEN_CTRL_INTERFACE_VERSION < 410
+
+typedef int XenXC;
+typedef int XenEvtchn;
+typedef int XenGnttab;
+
+#  define XC_INTERFACE_FMT "%i"
+#  define XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE    -1
+
+static inline XenEvtchn xen_xc_evtchn_open(void *logger,
+                                           unsigned int open_flags)
+{
+    return xc_evtchn_open();
+}
+
+static inline XenGnttab xen_xc_gnttab_open(void *logger,
+                                           unsigned int open_flags)
+{
+    return xc_gnttab_open();
+}
+
+static inline XenXC xen_xc_interface_open(void *logger, void *dombuild_logger,
+                                          unsigned int open_flags)
+{
+    return xc_interface_open();
+}
+
+static inline int xc_fd(int xen_xc)
+{
+    return xen_xc;
+}
+
+
+/* Xen 4.1 */
+#else
+
+typedef xc_interface *XenXC;
+typedef xc_evtchn *XenEvtchn;
+typedef xc_gnttab *XenGnttab;
+
+#  define XC_INTERFACE_FMT "%p"
+#  define XC_HANDLER_INITIAL_VALUE    NULL
+
+static inline XenEvtchn xen_xc_evtchn_open(void *logger,
+                                           unsigned int open_flags)
+{
+    return xc_evtchn_open(logger, open_flags);
+}
+
+static inline XenGnttab xen_xc_gnttab_open(void *logger,
+                                           unsigned int open_flags)
+{
+    return xc_gnttab_open(logger, open_flags);
+}
+
+static inline XenXC xen_xc_interface_open(void *logger, void *dombuild_logger,
+                                          unsigned int open_flags)
+{
+    return xc_interface_open(logger, dombuild_logger, open_flags);
+}
+
+/* FIXME There is now way to have the xen fd */
+static inline int xc_fd(xc_interface *xen_xc)
+{
+    return -1;
+}
 #endif
 
 #endif /* QEMU_HW_XEN_COMMON_H */
diff --git a/hw/xen_disk.c b/hw/xen_disk.c
index 2b3a8feac..233c8c99c 100644
--- a/hw/xen_disk.c
+++ b/hw/xen_disk.c
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ err:
 
 static void ioreq_unmap(struct ioreq *ioreq)
 {
-    int gnt = ioreq->blkdev->xendev.gnttabdev;
+    XenGnttab gnt = ioreq->blkdev->xendev.gnttabdev;
     int i;
 
     if (ioreq->v.niov == 0) {
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ static void ioreq_unmap(struct ioreq *ioreq)
 
 static int ioreq_map(struct ioreq *ioreq)
 {
-    int gnt = ioreq->blkdev->xendev.gnttabdev;
+    XenGnttab gnt = ioreq->blkdev->xendev.gnttabdev;
     int i;
 
     if (ioreq->v.niov == 0) {
diff --git a/hw/xen_domainbuild.c b/hw/xen_domainbuild.c
index 4093587df..a6a12e593 100644
--- a/hw/xen_domainbuild.c
+++ b/hw/xen_domainbuild.c
@@ -175,8 +175,9 @@ static int xen_domain_watcher(void)
     for (i = 3; i < n; i++) {
         if (i == fd[0])
             continue;
-        if (i == xen_xc)
+        if (i == xc_fd(xen_xc)) {
             continue;
+        }
         close(i);
     }