diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index ca1f01d9da..97a6d4f5b9 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -168,8 +168,7 @@ static bool all_cpu_threads_idle(void)
 static void cpu_debug_handler(CPUState *env)
 {
     gdb_set_stop_cpu(env);
-    debug_requested = VMSTOP_DEBUG;
-    vm_stop(VMSTOP_DEBUG);
+    qemu_system_debug_request();
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_LINUX
@@ -990,12 +989,6 @@ void qemu_notify_event(void)
     qemu_event_increment();
 }
 
-static void qemu_system_vmstop_request(int reason)
-{
-    vmstop_requested = reason;
-    qemu_notify_event();
-}
-
 void cpu_stop_current(void)
 {
     if (cpu_single_env) {
diff --git a/cpus.h b/cpus.h
index 4cadb641c0..e0211260c3 100644
--- a/cpus.h
+++ b/cpus.h
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@ void cpu_stop_current(void);
 /* vl.c */
 extern int smp_cores;
 extern int smp_threads;
-extern int debug_requested;
-extern int vmstop_requested;
 void vm_state_notify(int running, int reason);
 bool cpu_exec_all(void);
 void set_numa_modes(void);
diff --git a/sysemu.h b/sysemu.h
index 0628d3d821..0a83ab9e56 100644
--- a/sysemu.h
+++ b/sysemu.h
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ void cpu_disable_ticks(void);
 void qemu_system_reset_request(void);
 void qemu_system_shutdown_request(void);
 void qemu_system_powerdown_request(void);
+void qemu_system_debug_request(void);
+void qemu_system_vmstop_request(int reason);
 int qemu_shutdown_requested(void);
 int qemu_reset_requested(void);
 int qemu_powerdown_requested(void);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 6d2d1d344f..eebe6843f7 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -1217,8 +1217,8 @@ static QTAILQ_HEAD(reset_handlers, QEMUResetEntry) reset_handlers =
 static int reset_requested;
 static int shutdown_requested;
 static int powerdown_requested;
-int debug_requested;
-int vmstop_requested;
+static int debug_requested;
+static int vmstop_requested;
 
 int qemu_shutdown_requested(void)
 {
@@ -1312,6 +1312,18 @@ void qemu_system_powerdown_request(void)
     qemu_notify_event();
 }
 
+void qemu_system_debug_request(void)
+{
+    debug_requested = 1;
+    vm_stop(VMSTOP_DEBUG);
+}
+
+void qemu_system_vmstop_request(int reason)
+{
+    vmstop_requested = reason;
+    qemu_notify_event();
+}
+
 void main_loop_wait(int nonblocking)
 {
     IOHandlerRecord *ioh;
@@ -1427,8 +1439,8 @@ static void main_loop(void)
         dev_time += profile_getclock() - ti;
 #endif
 
-        if ((r = qemu_debug_requested())) {
-            vm_stop(r);
+        if (qemu_debug_requested()) {
+            vm_stop(VMSTOP_DEBUG);
         }
         if (qemu_shutdown_requested()) {
             monitor_protocol_event(QEVENT_SHUTDOWN, NULL);