diff --git a/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c b/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
index bed9f13793..227bb15efc 100644
--- a/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static void complete_request_vring(VirtIOBlockReq *req, unsigned char status)
 {
     stb_p(&req->in->status, status);
 
-    vring_push(&req->dev->dataplane->vring, req->elem,
+    vring_push(&req->dev->dataplane->vring, &req->elem,
                req->qiov.size + sizeof(*req->in));
     notify_guest(req->dev->dataplane);
 }
@@ -74,33 +74,32 @@ static void handle_notify(EventNotifier *e)
 {
     VirtIOBlockDataPlane *s = container_of(e, VirtIOBlockDataPlane,
                                            host_notifier);
-
-    VirtQueueElement *elem;
-    VirtIOBlockReq *req;
-    int ret;
-    MultiReqBuffer mrb = {
-        .num_writes = 0,
-    };
+    VirtIOBlock *vblk = VIRTIO_BLK(s->vdev);
 
     event_notifier_test_and_clear(&s->host_notifier);
     bdrv_io_plug(s->blk->conf.bs);
     for (;;) {
+        MultiReqBuffer mrb = {
+            .num_writes = 0,
+        };
+        int ret;
+
         /* Disable guest->host notifies to avoid unnecessary vmexits */
         vring_disable_notification(s->vdev, &s->vring);
 
         for (;;) {
-            ret = vring_pop(s->vdev, &s->vring, &elem);
+            VirtIOBlockReq *req = virtio_blk_alloc_request(vblk);
+
+            ret = vring_pop(s->vdev, &s->vring, &req->elem);
             if (ret < 0) {
-                assert(elem == NULL);
+                virtio_blk_free_request(req);
                 break; /* no more requests */
             }
 
-            trace_virtio_blk_data_plane_process_request(s, elem->out_num,
-                                                        elem->in_num, elem->index);
+            trace_virtio_blk_data_plane_process_request(s, req->elem.out_num,
+                                                        req->elem.in_num,
+                                                        req->elem.index);
 
-            req = g_slice_new(VirtIOBlockReq);
-            req->dev = VIRTIO_BLK(s->vdev);
-            req->elem = elem;
             virtio_blk_handle_request(req, &mrb);
         }
 
diff --git a/hw/block/virtio-blk.c b/hw/block/virtio-blk.c
index b06a56d942..02cd6b059a 100644
--- a/hw/block/virtio-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/virtio-blk.c
@@ -29,20 +29,18 @@
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio-bus.h"
 #include "hw/virtio/virtio-access.h"
 
-static VirtIOBlockReq *virtio_blk_alloc_request(VirtIOBlock *s)
+VirtIOBlockReq *virtio_blk_alloc_request(VirtIOBlock *s)
 {
     VirtIOBlockReq *req = g_slice_new(VirtIOBlockReq);
     req->dev = s;
     req->qiov.size = 0;
     req->next = NULL;
-    req->elem = g_slice_new(VirtQueueElement);
     return req;
 }
 
-static void virtio_blk_free_request(VirtIOBlockReq *req)
+void virtio_blk_free_request(VirtIOBlockReq *req)
 {
     if (req) {
-        g_slice_free(VirtQueueElement, req->elem);
         g_slice_free(VirtIOBlockReq, req);
     }
 }
@@ -56,7 +54,7 @@ static void virtio_blk_complete_request(VirtIOBlockReq *req,
     trace_virtio_blk_req_complete(req, status);
 
     stb_p(&req->in->status, status);
-    virtqueue_push(s->vq, req->elem, req->qiov.size + sizeof(*req->in));
+    virtqueue_push(s->vq, &req->elem, req->qiov.size + sizeof(*req->in));
     virtio_notify(vdev, s->vq);
 }
 
@@ -121,7 +119,7 @@ static VirtIOBlockReq *virtio_blk_get_request(VirtIOBlock *s)
 {
     VirtIOBlockReq *req = virtio_blk_alloc_request(s);
 
-    if (!virtqueue_pop(s->vq, req->elem)) {
+    if (!virtqueue_pop(s->vq, &req->elem)) {
         virtio_blk_free_request(req);
         return NULL;
     }
@@ -254,7 +252,7 @@ static void virtio_blk_handle_scsi(VirtIOBlockReq *req)
 {
     int status;
 
-    status = virtio_blk_handle_scsi_req(req->dev, req->elem);
+    status = virtio_blk_handle_scsi_req(req->dev, &req->elem);
     virtio_blk_req_complete(req, status);
     virtio_blk_free_request(req);
 }
@@ -351,12 +349,12 @@ static void virtio_blk_handle_read(VirtIOBlockReq *req)
 void virtio_blk_handle_request(VirtIOBlockReq *req, MultiReqBuffer *mrb)
 {
     uint32_t type;
-    struct iovec *in_iov = req->elem->in_sg;
-    struct iovec *iov = req->elem->out_sg;
-    unsigned in_num = req->elem->in_num;
-    unsigned out_num = req->elem->out_num;
+    struct iovec *in_iov = req->elem.in_sg;
+    struct iovec *iov = req->elem.out_sg;
+    unsigned in_num = req->elem.in_num;
+    unsigned out_num = req->elem.out_num;
 
-    if (req->elem->out_num < 1 || req->elem->in_num < 1) {
+    if (req->elem.out_num < 1 || req->elem.in_num < 1) {
         error_report("virtio-blk missing headers");
         exit(1);
     }
@@ -393,19 +391,19 @@ void virtio_blk_handle_request(VirtIOBlockReq *req, MultiReqBuffer *mrb)
          * NB: per existing s/n string convention the string is
          * terminated by '\0' only when shorter than buffer.
          */
-        strncpy(req->elem->in_sg[0].iov_base,
+        strncpy(req->elem.in_sg[0].iov_base,
                 s->blk.serial ? s->blk.serial : "",
-                MIN(req->elem->in_sg[0].iov_len, VIRTIO_BLK_ID_BYTES));
+                MIN(req->elem.in_sg[0].iov_len, VIRTIO_BLK_ID_BYTES));
         virtio_blk_req_complete(req, VIRTIO_BLK_S_OK);
         virtio_blk_free_request(req);
     } else if (type & VIRTIO_BLK_T_OUT) {
-        qemu_iovec_init_external(&req->qiov, &req->elem->out_sg[1],
-                                 req->elem->out_num - 1);
+        qemu_iovec_init_external(&req->qiov, &req->elem.out_sg[1],
+                                 req->elem.out_num - 1);
         virtio_blk_handle_write(req, mrb);
     } else if (type == VIRTIO_BLK_T_IN || type == VIRTIO_BLK_T_BARRIER) {
         /* VIRTIO_BLK_T_IN is 0, so we can't just & it. */
-        qemu_iovec_init_external(&req->qiov, &req->elem->in_sg[0],
-                                 req->elem->in_num - 1);
+        qemu_iovec_init_external(&req->qiov, &req->elem.in_sg[0],
+                                 req->elem.in_num - 1);
         virtio_blk_handle_read(req);
     } else {
         virtio_blk_req_complete(req, VIRTIO_BLK_S_UNSUPP);
@@ -629,7 +627,7 @@ static void virtio_blk_save_device(VirtIODevice *vdev, QEMUFile *f)
 
     while (req) {
         qemu_put_sbyte(f, 1);
-        qemu_put_buffer(f, (unsigned char *)req->elem,
+        qemu_put_buffer(f, (unsigned char *)&req->elem,
                         sizeof(VirtQueueElement));
         req = req->next;
     }
@@ -654,15 +652,15 @@ static int virtio_blk_load_device(VirtIODevice *vdev, QEMUFile *f,
 
     while (qemu_get_sbyte(f)) {
         VirtIOBlockReq *req = virtio_blk_alloc_request(s);
-        qemu_get_buffer(f, (unsigned char *)req->elem,
+        qemu_get_buffer(f, (unsigned char *)&req->elem,
                         sizeof(VirtQueueElement));
         req->next = s->rq;
         s->rq = req;
 
-        virtqueue_map_sg(req->elem->in_sg, req->elem->in_addr,
-            req->elem->in_num, 1);
-        virtqueue_map_sg(req->elem->out_sg, req->elem->out_addr,
-            req->elem->out_num, 0);
+        virtqueue_map_sg(req->elem.in_sg, req->elem.in_addr,
+            req->elem.in_num, 1);
+        virtqueue_map_sg(req->elem.out_sg, req->elem.out_addr,
+            req->elem.out_num, 0);
     }
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/hw/virtio/dataplane/vring.c b/hw/virtio/dataplane/vring.c
index 5d17d39c17..67cb2b823e 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/dataplane/vring.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/dataplane/vring.c
@@ -301,14 +301,16 @@ static void vring_unmap_element(VirtQueueElement *elem)
  * Stolen from linux/drivers/vhost/vhost.c.
  */
 int vring_pop(VirtIODevice *vdev, Vring *vring,
-              VirtQueueElement **p_elem)
+              VirtQueueElement *elem)
 {
     struct vring_desc desc;
     unsigned int i, head, found = 0, num = vring->vr.num;
     uint16_t avail_idx, last_avail_idx;
-    VirtQueueElement *elem = NULL;
     int ret;
 
+    /* Initialize elem so it can be safely unmapped */
+    elem->in_num = elem->out_num = 0;
+
     /* If there was a fatal error then refuse operation */
     if (vring->broken) {
         ret = -EFAULT;
@@ -340,10 +342,8 @@ int vring_pop(VirtIODevice *vdev, Vring *vring,
      * the index we've seen. */
     head = vring->vr.avail->ring[last_avail_idx % num];
 
-    elem = g_slice_new(VirtQueueElement);
     elem->index = head;
-    elem->in_num = elem->out_num = 0;
-    
+
     /* If their number is silly, that's an error. */
     if (unlikely(head >= num)) {
         error_report("Guest says index %u > %u is available", head, num);
@@ -391,7 +391,6 @@ int vring_pop(VirtIODevice *vdev, Vring *vring,
 
     /* On success, increment avail index. */
     vring->last_avail_idx++;
-    *p_elem = elem;
     return head;
 
 out:
@@ -399,11 +398,7 @@ out:
     if (ret == -EFAULT) {
         vring->broken = true;
     }
-    if (elem) {
-        vring_unmap_element(elem);
-        g_slice_free(VirtQueueElement, elem);
-    }
-    *p_elem = NULL;
+    vring_unmap_element(elem);
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/dataplane/vring.h b/include/hw/virtio/dataplane/vring.h
index b23edd276b..af73ee2ae3 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/dataplane/vring.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/dataplane/vring.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void vring_teardown(Vring *vring, VirtIODevice *vdev, int n);
 void vring_disable_notification(VirtIODevice *vdev, Vring *vring);
 bool vring_enable_notification(VirtIODevice *vdev, Vring *vring);
 bool vring_should_notify(VirtIODevice *vdev, Vring *vring);
-int vring_pop(VirtIODevice *vdev, Vring *vring, VirtQueueElement **elem);
+int vring_pop(VirtIODevice *vdev, Vring *vring, VirtQueueElement *elem);
 void vring_push(Vring *vring, VirtQueueElement *elem, int len);
 
 #endif /* VRING_H */
diff --git a/include/hw/virtio/virtio-blk.h b/include/hw/virtio/virtio-blk.h
index b3080a2144..afb7b8db3a 100644
--- a/include/hw/virtio/virtio-blk.h
+++ b/include/hw/virtio/virtio-blk.h
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ typedef struct MultiReqBuffer {
 
 typedef struct VirtIOBlockReq {
     VirtIOBlock *dev;
-    VirtQueueElement *elem;
+    VirtQueueElement elem;
     struct virtio_blk_inhdr *in;
     struct virtio_blk_outhdr out;
     QEMUIOVector qiov;
@@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ typedef struct VirtIOBlockReq {
     BlockAcctCookie acct;
 } VirtIOBlockReq;
 
+VirtIOBlockReq *virtio_blk_alloc_request(VirtIOBlock *s);
+
+void virtio_blk_free_request(VirtIOBlockReq *req);
+
 int virtio_blk_handle_scsi_req(VirtIOBlock *blk,
                                VirtQueueElement *elem);