diff --git a/tools/python/xen/util/blkif.py b/tools/python/xen/util/blkif.py
index 6091afe5ac..c73a946a25 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/util/blkif.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/util/blkif.py
@@ -75,8 +75,17 @@ def _parse_uname(uname):
     fn = taptype = None
     if uname.find(":") != -1:
         (typ, fn) = uname.split(":", 1)
-        if typ in ("phy", "drbd") and not fn.startswith("/"):
+
+        if typ == "phy" and not fn.startswith("/"):
             fn = "/dev/%s" %(fn,)
+
+        if typ == "drbd":
+            if not fn.startswith("drbd"):
+                (drbdadmstdin, drbdadmstdout) = os.popen2(["/sbin/drbdadm", "sh-dev", fn])
+                fn = drbdadmstdout.readline().strip()
+            else:
+                fn = "/dev/%s" %(fn,)
+               
         if typ == "tap":
             (taptype, fn) = fn.split(":", 1)
     return (fn, taptype)
diff --git a/tools/python/xen/xend/XendDomainInfo.py b/tools/python/xen/xend/XendDomainInfo.py
index 32496041d1..53bdf4eaa6 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/xend/XendDomainInfo.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xend/XendDomainInfo.py
@@ -2994,6 +2994,16 @@ class XendDomainInfo:
             disk = devinfo[1]['uname']
 
             fn = blkdev_uname_to_file(disk)
+
+            # If this is a drbd volume, check if we need to activate it
+            if disktype.find(":") != -1:
+                (disktype, diskname) = disk.split(':', 1)
+                if disktype == 'drbd':
+                    (drbdadmstdin, drbdadmstdout) = os.popen2(["/sbin/drbdadm", "state", diskname])
+                    (state, junk) = drbdadmstdout.readline().split('/', 1)
+                    if state == 'Secondary':
+                        os.system('/sbin/drbdadm primary ' + diskname)
+
             taptype = blkdev_uname_to_taptype(disk)
             mounted = devtype in ['tap', 'tap2'] and taptype != 'aio' and taptype != 'sync' and not os.stat(fn).st_rdev
             if mounted: