diff --git a/migration/channel.c b/migration/channel.c
index f41333adcc..d1eec4942b 100644
--- a/migration/channel.c
+++ b/migration/channel.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ void migration_channel_process_incoming(QIOChannel *ioc)
         }
 
         if (migration_incoming_setup(ioc, ch, &local_err)) {
-            migration_incoming_process();
+            migration_start_incoming();
         }
     }
 out:
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ void migration_channel_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s, QIOChannel *ioc)
 
     migration_ioc_register_yank(ioc);
     migration_outgoing_setup(ioc);
-    migration_connect(s);
+    migration_start_outgoing(s);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/migration/exec.c b/migration/exec.c
index d1629944dc..c3085e803e 100644
--- a/migration/exec.c
+++ b/migration/exec.c
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ const char *exec_get_cmd_path(void)
 }
 #endif
 
-void exec_start_outgoing_migration(MigrationState *s, strList *command,
-                                   Error **errp)
+void exec_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s, strList *command, Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannel *ioc = NULL;
     g_auto(GStrv) argv = strv_from_str_list(command);
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ static gboolean exec_accept_incoming_migration(QIOChannel *ioc,
     return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
 }
 
-void exec_start_incoming_migration(strList *command, Error **errp)
+void exec_connect_incoming(strList *command, Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannel *ioc;
     g_auto(GStrv) argv = strv_from_str_list(command);
diff --git a/migration/exec.h b/migration/exec.h
index 3107f205e3..e7e8e475ac 100644
--- a/migration/exec.h
+++ b/migration/exec.h
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@
 #ifdef WIN32
 const char *exec_get_cmd_path(void);
 #endif
-void exec_start_incoming_migration(strList *host_port, Error **errp);
+void exec_connect_incoming(strList *host_port, Error **errp);
 
-void exec_start_outgoing_migration(MigrationState *s, strList *host_port,
-                                   Error **errp);
+void exec_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s, strList *host_port, Error **errp);
 #endif
diff --git a/migration/fd.c b/migration/fd.c
index 20166fef46..530aac1a5b 100644
--- a/migration/fd.c
+++ b/migration/fd.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static bool migration_fd_valid(int fd)
     return false;
 }
 
-void fd_start_outgoing_migration(MigrationState *s, const char *fdname, Error **errp)
+void fd_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s, const char *fdname, Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannel *ioc;
     int fd = monitor_get_fd(monitor_cur(), fdname, errp);
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ static gboolean fd_accept_incoming_migration(QIOChannel *ioc,
     return G_SOURCE_REMOVE;
 }
 
-void fd_start_incoming_migration(const char *fdname, Error **errp)
+void fd_connect_incoming(const char *fdname, Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannel *ioc;
     int fd = monitor_fd_param(monitor_cur(), fdname, errp);
diff --git a/migration/fd.h b/migration/fd.h
index b901bc014e..7211629270 100644
--- a/migration/fd.h
+++ b/migration/fd.h
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@
 
 #ifndef QEMU_MIGRATION_FD_H
 #define QEMU_MIGRATION_FD_H
-void fd_start_incoming_migration(const char *fdname, Error **errp);
+void fd_connect_incoming(const char *fdname, Error **errp);
 
-void fd_start_outgoing_migration(MigrationState *s, const char *fdname,
-                                 Error **errp);
+void fd_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s, const char *fdname,
+                         Error **errp);
 #endif
diff --git a/migration/file.c b/migration/file.c
index 935402f36b..b7b0fb5194 100644
--- a/migration/file.c
+++ b/migration/file.c
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ out:
     return ret;
 }
 
-void file_start_outgoing_migration(MigrationState *s,
-                                   FileMigrationArgs *file_args, Error **errp)
+void file_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s,
+                           FileMigrationArgs *file_args, Error **errp)
 {
     g_autoptr(QIOChannelFile) fioc = NULL;
     g_autofree char *filename = g_strdup(file_args->filename);
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ static void file_create_incoming_channels(QIOChannel *ioc, char *filename,
     }
 }
 
-void file_start_incoming_migration(FileMigrationArgs *file_args, Error **errp)
+void file_connect_incoming(FileMigrationArgs *file_args, Error **errp)
 {
     g_autofree char *filename = g_strdup(file_args->filename);
     QIOChannelFile *fioc = NULL;
diff --git a/migration/file.h b/migration/file.h
index 1a1115f7f1..9b1e874bb7 100644
--- a/migration/file.h
+++ b/migration/file.h
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@
 #include "channel.h"
 #include "multifd.h"
 
-void file_start_incoming_migration(FileMigrationArgs *file_args, Error **errp);
+void file_connect_incoming(FileMigrationArgs *file_args, Error **errp);
 
-void file_start_outgoing_migration(MigrationState *s,
-                                   FileMigrationArgs *file_args, Error **errp);
+void file_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s,
+                           FileMigrationArgs *file_args, Error **errp);
 int file_parse_offset(char *filespec, uint64_t *offsetp, Error **errp);
 void file_cleanup_outgoing_migration(void);
 bool file_send_channel_create(gpointer opaque, Error **errp);
diff --git a/migration/migration.c b/migration/migration.c
index 8a27d93498..24ef583d96 100644
--- a/migration/migration.c
+++ b/migration/migration.c
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ migration_incoming_state_setup(MigrationIncomingState *mis, Error **errp)
     return true;
 }
 
-static void qemu_start_incoming_migration(const char *uri, bool has_channels,
+static void qemu_setup_incoming_migration(const char *uri, bool has_channels,
                                           MigrationChannelList *channels,
                                           Error **errp)
 {
@@ -787,18 +787,18 @@ static void qemu_start_incoming_migration(const char *uri, bool has_channels,
         if (saddr->type == SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_INET ||
             saddr->type == SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_UNIX ||
             saddr->type == SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_VSOCK) {
-            socket_start_incoming_migration(saddr, errp);
+            socket_connect_incoming(saddr, errp);
         } else if (saddr->type == SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_FD) {
-            fd_start_incoming_migration(saddr->u.fd.str, errp);
+            fd_connect_incoming(saddr->u.fd.str, errp);
         }
 #ifdef CONFIG_RDMA
     } else if (addr->transport == MIGRATION_ADDRESS_TYPE_RDMA) {
-        rdma_start_incoming_migration(&addr->u.rdma, errp);
+        rdma_connect_incoming(&addr->u.rdma, errp);
 #endif
     } else if (addr->transport == MIGRATION_ADDRESS_TYPE_EXEC) {
-        exec_start_incoming_migration(addr->u.exec.args, errp);
+        exec_connect_incoming(addr->u.exec.args, errp);
     } else if (addr->transport == MIGRATION_ADDRESS_TYPE_FILE) {
-        file_start_incoming_migration(&addr->u.file, errp);
+        file_connect_incoming(&addr->u.file, errp);
     } else {
         error_setg(errp, "unknown migration protocol: %s", uri);
     }
@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ static bool postcopy_try_recover(void)
     return false;
 }
 
-void migration_incoming_process(void)
+void migration_start_incoming(void)
 {
     if (postcopy_try_recover()) {
         return;
@@ -1968,7 +1968,7 @@ void qmp_migrate_incoming(const char *uri, bool has_channels,
     mis->exit_on_error =
         has_exit_on_error ? exit_on_error : INMIGRATE_DEFAULT_EXIT_ON_ERROR;
 
-    qemu_start_incoming_migration(uri, has_channels, channels, &local_err);
+    qemu_setup_incoming_migration(uri, has_channels, channels, &local_err);
 
     if (local_err) {
         yank_unregister_instance(MIGRATION_YANK_INSTANCE);
@@ -2015,7 +2015,7 @@ void qmp_migrate_recover(const char *uri, Error **errp)
      * only re-setup the migration stream and poke existing migration
      * to continue using that newly established channel.
      */
-    qemu_start_incoming_migration(uri, false, NULL, errp);
+    qemu_setup_incoming_migration(uri, false, NULL, errp);
 }
 
 void qmp_migrate_pause(Error **errp)
@@ -2332,18 +2332,18 @@ static void qmp_migrate_finish(MigrationAddress *addr, Error **errp)
         if (saddr->type == SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_INET ||
             saddr->type == SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_UNIX ||
             saddr->type == SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_VSOCK) {
-            socket_start_outgoing_migration(s, saddr, &local_err);
+            socket_connect_outgoing(s, saddr, &local_err);
         } else if (saddr->type == SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_FD) {
-            fd_start_outgoing_migration(s, saddr->u.fd.str, &local_err);
+            fd_connect_outgoing(s, saddr->u.fd.str, &local_err);
         }
 #ifdef CONFIG_RDMA
     } else if (addr->transport == MIGRATION_ADDRESS_TYPE_RDMA) {
-        rdma_start_outgoing_migration(s, &addr->u.rdma, &local_err);
+        rdma_connect_outgoing(s, &addr->u.rdma, &local_err);
 #endif
     } else if (addr->transport == MIGRATION_ADDRESS_TYPE_EXEC) {
-        exec_start_outgoing_migration(s, addr->u.exec.args, &local_err);
+        exec_connect_outgoing(s, addr->u.exec.args, &local_err);
     } else if (addr->transport == MIGRATION_ADDRESS_TYPE_FILE) {
-        file_start_outgoing_migration(s, &addr->u.file, &local_err);
+        file_connect_outgoing(s, &addr->u.file, &local_err);
     } else {
         error_setg(&local_err, "uri is not a valid migration protocol");
     }
@@ -4024,7 +4024,7 @@ fail_setup:
     return NULL;
 }
 
-void migration_connect(MigrationState *s)
+void migration_start_outgoing(MigrationState *s)
 {
     Error *local_err = NULL;
     uint64_t rate_limit;
diff --git a/migration/migration.h b/migration/migration.h
index b55cc40613..c4ea57d80a 100644
--- a/migration/migration.h
+++ b/migration/migration.h
@@ -539,7 +539,8 @@ void migration_connect_error_propagate(MigrationState *s, Error *error);
 void migrate_error_propagate(MigrationState *s, Error *error);
 bool migrate_has_error(MigrationState *s);
 
-void migration_connect(MigrationState *s);
+void migration_start_outgoing(MigrationState *s);
+void migration_start_incoming(void);
 
 int migration_call_notifiers(MigrationEventType type, Error **errp);
 
diff --git a/migration/rdma.c b/migration/rdma.c
index 98a6cebb17..4d63fd723b 100644
--- a/migration/rdma.c
+++ b/migration/rdma.c
@@ -3881,17 +3881,16 @@ static void rdma_accept_incoming_migration(void *opaque)
 
     rdma->migration_started_on_destination = 1;
     migration_incoming_setup(ioc, CH_MAIN, &error_abort);
-    migration_incoming_process();
+    migration_start_incoming();
 }
 
-void rdma_start_incoming_migration(InetSocketAddress *host_port,
-                                   Error **errp)
+void rdma_connect_incoming(InetSocketAddress *host_port, Error **errp)
 {
     MigrationState *s = migrate_get_current();
     int ret;
     RDMAContext *rdma;
 
-    trace_rdma_start_incoming_migration();
+    trace_rdma_connect_incoming();
 
     /* Avoid ram_block_discard_disable(), cannot change during migration. */
     if (ram_block_discard_is_required()) {
@@ -3909,7 +3908,7 @@ void rdma_start_incoming_migration(InetSocketAddress *host_port,
         goto err;
     }
 
-    trace_rdma_start_incoming_migration_after_dest_init();
+    trace_rdma_connect_incoming_after_dest_init();
 
     ret = rdma_listen(rdma->listen_id, 5);
 
@@ -3918,7 +3917,7 @@ void rdma_start_incoming_migration(InetSocketAddress *host_port,
         goto cleanup_rdma;
     }
 
-    trace_rdma_start_incoming_migration_after_rdma_listen();
+    trace_rdma_connect_incoming_after_rdma_listen();
     s->rdma_migration = true;
     qemu_set_fd_handler(rdma->channel->fd, rdma_accept_incoming_migration,
                         NULL, (void *)(intptr_t)rdma);
@@ -3933,8 +3932,8 @@ err:
     g_free(rdma);
 }
 
-void rdma_start_outgoing_migration(void *opaque,
-                            InetSocketAddress *host_port, Error **errp)
+void rdma_connect_outgoing(void *opaque,
+                           InetSocketAddress *host_port, Error **errp)
 {
     MigrationState *s = opaque;
     RDMAContext *rdma_return_path = NULL;
@@ -3958,7 +3957,7 @@ void rdma_start_outgoing_migration(void *opaque,
         goto err;
     }
 
-    trace_rdma_start_outgoing_migration_after_rdma_source_init();
+    trace_rdma_connect_outgoing_after_rdma_source_init();
     ret = qemu_rdma_connect(rdma, false, errp);
 
     if (ret < 0) {
@@ -3991,11 +3990,11 @@ void rdma_start_outgoing_migration(void *opaque,
         rdma_return_path->is_return_path = true;
     }
 
-    trace_rdma_start_outgoing_migration_after_rdma_connect();
+    trace_rdma_connect_outgoing_after_rdma_connect();
 
     s->rdma_migration = true;
     migration_outgoing_setup(rdma_new_output(rdma));
-    migration_connect(s);
+    migration_start_outgoing(s);
     return;
 return_path_err:
     qemu_rdma_cleanup(rdma);
diff --git a/migration/rdma.h b/migration/rdma.h
index f74f16a459..170c25cf44 100644
--- a/migration/rdma.h
+++ b/migration/rdma.h
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@
 
 #include "system/memory.h"
 
-void rdma_start_outgoing_migration(void *opaque, InetSocketAddress *host_port,
-                                   Error **errp);
+void rdma_connect_outgoing(void *opaque, InetSocketAddress *host_port,
+                           Error **errp);
 
-void rdma_start_incoming_migration(InetSocketAddress *host_port, Error **errp);
+void rdma_connect_incoming(InetSocketAddress *host_port, Error **errp);
 
 /*
  * Constants used by rdma return codes
diff --git a/migration/socket.c b/migration/socket.c
index f94959828f..f57f1a8e7c 100644
--- a/migration/socket.c
+++ b/migration/socket.c
@@ -80,9 +80,8 @@ fail:
     migration_connect_error_propagate(data->s, err);
 }
 
-void socket_start_outgoing_migration(MigrationState *s,
-                                     SocketAddress *saddr,
-                                     Error **errp)
+void socket_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s, SocketAddress *saddr,
+                             Error **errp)
 {
     QIOChannelSocket *sioc = qio_channel_socket_new();
     struct SocketConnectData *data = g_new0(struct SocketConnectData, 1);
@@ -140,8 +139,7 @@ socket_incoming_migration_end(void *opaque)
     object_unref(OBJECT(listener));
 }
 
-void socket_start_incoming_migration(SocketAddress *saddr,
-                                     Error **errp)
+void socket_connect_incoming(SocketAddress *saddr, Error **errp)
 {
     QIONetListener *listener = qio_net_listener_new();
     MigrationIncomingState *mis = migration_incoming_get_current();
diff --git a/migration/socket.h b/migration/socket.h
index 04ebbe95a1..f0c89b64c7 100644
--- a/migration/socket.h
+++ b/migration/socket.h
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
 
 void socket_send_channel_create(QIOTaskFunc f, void *data);
 
-void socket_start_incoming_migration(SocketAddress *saddr, Error **errp);
+void socket_connect_incoming(SocketAddress *saddr, Error **errp);
 
-void socket_start_outgoing_migration(MigrationState *s,
-                                     SocketAddress *saddr, Error **errp);
+void socket_connect_outgoing(MigrationState *s,
+                             SocketAddress *saddr, Error **errp);
 void socket_cleanup_outgoing_migration(void);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/migration/trace-events b/migration/trace-events
index cbf10d0b63..91d7506634 100644
--- a/migration/trace-events
+++ b/migration/trace-events
@@ -271,11 +271,11 @@ rdma_registration_handle_wait(void) ""
 rdma_registration_start(uint64_t flags) "%" PRIu64
 rdma_registration_stop(uint64_t flags) "%" PRIu64
 rdma_registration_stop_ram(void) ""
-rdma_start_incoming_migration(void) ""
-rdma_start_incoming_migration_after_dest_init(void) ""
-rdma_start_incoming_migration_after_rdma_listen(void) ""
-rdma_start_outgoing_migration_after_rdma_connect(void) ""
-rdma_start_outgoing_migration_after_rdma_source_init(void) ""
+rdma_connect_incoming(void) ""
+rdma_connect_incoming_after_dest_init(void) ""
+rdma_connect_incoming_after_rdma_listen(void) ""
+rdma_connect_outgoing_after_rdma_connect(void) ""
+rdma_connect_outgoing_after_rdma_source_init(void) ""
 
 # postcopy-ram.c
 postcopy_discard_send_finish(const char *ramblock, int nwords, int ncmds) "%s mask words sent=%d in %d commands"