diff --git a/net/colo-compare.c b/net/colo-compare.c
index 7ee17f2cf8026e335dfc4f314cc92d3338d837a4..ca07d3016b75a1fbbee3f3af70db9a348125033b 100644
--- a/net/colo-compare.c
+++ b/net/colo-compare.c
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ static NotifierList colo_compare_notifiers =
 /* TODO: Should be configurable */
 #define REGULAR_PACKET_CHECK_MS 3000
 
+static QemuMutex colo_compare_mutex;
+static bool colo_compare_active;
 static QemuMutex event_mtx;
 static QemuCond event_complete_cond;
 static int event_unhandled_count;
@@ -829,6 +831,12 @@ static void check_old_packet_regular(void *opaque)
 void colo_notify_compares_event(void *opaque, int event, Error **errp)
 {
     CompareState *s;
+    qemu_mutex_lock(&colo_compare_mutex);
+
+    if (!colo_compare_active) {
+        qemu_mutex_unlock(&colo_compare_mutex);
+        return;
+    }
 
     qemu_mutex_lock(&event_mtx);
     QTAILQ_FOREACH(s, &net_compares, next) {
@@ -842,6 +850,7 @@ void colo_notify_compares_event(void *opaque, int event, Error **errp)
     }
 
     qemu_mutex_unlock(&event_mtx);
+    qemu_mutex_unlock(&colo_compare_mutex);
 }
 
 static void colo_compare_timer_init(CompareState *s)
@@ -1119,13 +1128,17 @@ static void colo_compare_complete(UserCreatable *uc, Error **errp)
                            s->vnet_hdr);
     }
 
+    qemu_mutex_lock(&colo_compare_mutex);
+    if (!colo_compare_active) {
+        qemu_mutex_init(&event_mtx);
+        qemu_cond_init(&event_complete_cond);
+        colo_compare_active = true;
+    }
     QTAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&net_compares, s, next);
+    qemu_mutex_unlock(&colo_compare_mutex);
 
     g_queue_init(&s->conn_list);
 
-    qemu_mutex_init(&event_mtx);
-    qemu_cond_init(&event_complete_cond);
-
     s->connection_track_table = g_hash_table_new_full(connection_key_hash,
                                                       connection_key_equal,
                                                       g_free,
@@ -1208,12 +1221,19 @@ static void colo_compare_finalize(Object *obj)
 
     qemu_bh_delete(s->event_bh);
 
+    qemu_mutex_lock(&colo_compare_mutex);
     QTAILQ_FOREACH(tmp, &net_compares, next) {
         if (tmp == s) {
             QTAILQ_REMOVE(&net_compares, s, next);
             break;
         }
     }
+    if (QTAILQ_EMPTY(&net_compares)) {
+        colo_compare_active = false;
+        qemu_mutex_destroy(&event_mtx);
+        qemu_cond_destroy(&event_complete_cond);
+    }
+    qemu_mutex_unlock(&colo_compare_mutex);
 
     /* Release all unhandled packets after compare thead exited */
     g_queue_foreach(&s->conn_list, colo_flush_packets, s);
@@ -1228,15 +1248,18 @@ static void colo_compare_finalize(Object *obj)
         object_unref(OBJECT(s->iothread));
     }
 
-    qemu_mutex_destroy(&event_mtx);
-    qemu_cond_destroy(&event_complete_cond);
-
     g_free(s->pri_indev);
     g_free(s->sec_indev);
     g_free(s->outdev);
     g_free(s->notify_dev);
 }
 
+static void __attribute__((__constructor__)) colo_compare_init_globals(void)
+{
+    colo_compare_active = false;
+    qemu_mutex_init(&colo_compare_mutex);
+}
+
 static const TypeInfo colo_compare_info = {
     .name = TYPE_COLO_COMPARE,
     .parent = TYPE_OBJECT,