diff --git a/src/virtManager/domain.py b/src/virtManager/domain.py
index a56cb830c..2d2c6aa0d 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/domain.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/domain.py
@@ -1194,8 +1194,6 @@ class vmmDomain(vmmDomainBase):
                            "netRxRate"  : 10.0,
                          }
 
-        self._update_status()
-
         self.config.on_stats_enable_net_poll_changed(
                                             self.toggle_sample_network_traffic)
         self.config.on_stats_enable_disk_poll_changed(
@@ -1217,6 +1215,7 @@ class vmmDomain(vmmDomainBase):
                                                             self._backend)
 
         # Hook up our own status listeners
+        self._update_status()
         self.connect("status-changed", self._update_start_vcpus)
 
     ##########################
@@ -1959,6 +1958,11 @@ class vmmDomain(vmmDomainBase):
         if status != self.lastStatus:
             oldstatus = self.lastStatus
             self.lastStatus = status
+
+            # Send 'config-changed' before a status-update, so users
+            # are operating with fresh XML
+            self.refresh_xml()
+
             util.safe_idle_add(util.idle_emit, self, "status-changed",
                                oldstatus, status)
 
diff --git a/src/virtManager/serialcon.py b/src/virtManager/serialcon.py
index 02ab7f1ca..642582a72 100644
--- a/src/virtManager/serialcon.py
+++ b/src/virtManager/serialcon.py
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ class vmmSerialConsole(gtk.HBox):
 
         self.connect("realize", self.handle_realize)
         self.connect("unrealize", self.handle_unrealize)
+        self.vm.connect("config-changed", self.update_tty_path)
         self.vm.connect("status-changed", self.vm_status_changed)
+        self.update_tty_path(self.vm)
 
     def handle_realize(self, ignore=None):
         self.opentty()
@@ -72,14 +74,14 @@ class vmmSerialConsole(gtk.HBox):
     def handle_unrealize(self, src=None, ignore=None):
         self.closetty()
 
-    def vm_status_changed(self, src, status, ignore):
+    def vm_status_changed(self, src, oldstatus_ignore, status):
         if status in [ libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_RUNNING ]:
             self.opentty()
         else:
             self.closetty()
 
-    def get_tty_path(self):
-        serials = self.vm.get_serial_devs()
+    def update_tty_path(self, vm):
+        serials = vm.get_serial_devs()
         for s in serials:
             port = s[3]
             path = s[2]
@@ -87,25 +89,27 @@ class vmmSerialConsole(gtk.HBox):
                 if path != self.ttypath:
                     logging.debug("Serial console '%s' path changed to %s."
                                    % (self.target_port, path))
+                    self.ttypath = path
+                    return
 
-                return path
-
-        logging.debug("No serial devices found for serial console '%s'." %
+        logging.debug("No devices found for serial target port '%s'." %
                       self.target_port)
-        return None
+        self.ttypath = None
 
     def opentty(self):
         if self.ptyio != None:
             self.closetty()
 
-        self.ttypath = self.get_tty_path()
         ipty = self.ttypath
-
+        logging.debug("Opening serial tty path: %s" % self.ttypath)
         if ipty == None:
             return
+
         self.ptyio = pty.slave_open(ipty)
         fcntl.fcntl(self.ptyio, fcntl.F_SETFL, os.O_NONBLOCK)
-        self.ptysrc = gobject.io_add_watch(self.ptyio, gobject.IO_IN | gobject.IO_ERR | gobject.IO_HUP, self.display_data)
+        self.ptysrc = gobject.io_add_watch(self.ptyio,
+                            gobject.IO_IN | gobject.IO_ERR | gobject.IO_HUP,
+                            self.display_data)
 
         # Save term settings & set to raw mode
         self.ptytermios = termios.tcgetattr(self.ptyio)