diff --git a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/mod.rs b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/mod.rs
index a1a72111a..94172740a 100644
--- a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/mod.rs
@@ -252,4 +252,8 @@ mod probes {
     fn virtio_vq_notify(virtio_dev_addr: u64, virtqueue_id: u16) {}
     fn virtio_vq_pop(vq_addr: u64, desc_idx: u16, avail_idx: u16) {}
     fn virtio_vq_push(vq_addr: u64, used_idx: u16, used_len: u32) {}
+
+    fn virtio_viona_mq_set_use_pairs(cause: u8, npairs: u16) {}
+
+    fn virtio_device_needs_reset() {}
 }
diff --git a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/pci.rs b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/pci.rs
index 88b56ed65..5f911e5dc 100644
--- a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/pci.rs
+++ b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/pci.rs
@@ -1072,6 +1072,11 @@ impl PciVirtioState {
         _dev: &dyn VirtioDevice,
         state: &mut MutexGuard<VirtioState>,
     ) {
+        // TODO: would be *great* to know which device needs a reset.. compare
+        // with device_id in nvme and how we can give out per-device IDs when
+        // setting things up.
+        probes::virtio_device_needs_reset!(|| ());
+
         if !state.status.contains(Status::NEEDS_RESET) {
             state.status.insert(Status::NEEDS_RESET);
             // XXX: interrupt needed?
diff --git a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/queue.rs b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/queue.rs
index 41ac7ddf7..c6eeaa739 100644
--- a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/queue.rs
+++ b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/queue.rs
@@ -1003,6 +1003,11 @@ impl VirtQueues {
         self.peak.load(Ordering::Relaxed)
     }
 
+    pub fn reset_peak(&self) {
+        let current = self.len.load(Ordering::Relaxed);
+        self.peak.store(current, Ordering::Relaxed);
+    }
+
     pub const fn max_capacity(&self) -> usize {
         self.queues.len()
     }
diff --git a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/viona.rs b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/viona.rs
index 5c23dd1cf..7496086a3 100644
--- a/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/viona.rs
+++ b/lib/propolis/src/hw/virtio/viona.rs
@@ -51,6 +51,21 @@ pub const fn max_num_queues() -> usize {
 
 const ETHERADDRL: usize = 6;
 
+/// The caller of `set_use_pairs` will probably be inlined into a larger
+/// function that is difficult to spot in a ustack(). This gives us a hint
+/// about why we were `set_usepairs()`'ing.
+#[repr(u8)]
+enum MqSetPairsCause {
+    Reset = 0,
+    MqEnabled = 1,
+    Commanded = 2,
+}
+
+#[usdt::provider(provider = "propolis")]
+mod probes {
+    fn virtio_viona_mq_set_use_pairs(cause: u8, npairs: u16) {}
+}
+
 /// Types and so forth for supporting the control queue.
 /// Note that these come from the VirtIO spec, section
 /// 5.1.6.2 in VirtIO 1.2.
@@ -510,7 +525,12 @@ impl PciVirtioViona {
                 if !chain.read(&mut msg, &mem) {
                     return Err(());
                 }
-                self.set_use_pairs(msg.npairs)
+                let npairs = msg.npairs;
+                probes::virtio_viona_mq_set_use_pairs!(|| (
+                    MqSetPairsCause::Commanded as u8,
+                    npairs
+                ));
+                self.set_use_pairs(npairs)
             }
             MqCmd::RssConfig => Err(()),
             MqCmd::HashConfig => Err(()),
@@ -717,6 +737,10 @@ impl VirtioDevice for PciVirtioViona {
         self.hdl.set_features(feat).map_err(|_| ())?;
         if (feat & VIRTIO_NET_F_MQ) != 0 {
             self.hdl.set_pairs(PROPOLIS_MAX_MQ_PAIRS).map_err(|_| ())?;
+            probes::virtio_viona_mq_set_use_pairs!(|| (
+                MqSetPairsCause::MqEnabled as u8,
+                PROPOLIS_MAX_MQ_PAIRS
+            ));
             self.set_use_pairs(PROPOLIS_MAX_MQ_PAIRS)?;
         }
         Ok(())
@@ -808,8 +832,13 @@ impl Lifecycle for PciVirtioViona {
     }
     fn reset(&self) {
         self.virtio_state.reset(self);
+        probes::virtio_viona_mq_set_use_pairs!(|| (
+            MqSetPairsCause::Reset as u8,
+            1
+        ));
         self.set_use_pairs(1).expect("can set viona back to one queue pair");
         self.hdl.set_pairs(1).expect("can set viona back to one queue pair");
+        self.virtio_state.queues.reset_peak();
     }
     fn start(&self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         self.run();