diff --git a/drivers/vfio/vfio.c b/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
index 56e741cbccce..8a9347f732a5 100644
--- a/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
+++ b/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
@@ -1313,12 +1313,6 @@ unlock_out:
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static bool vfio_group_viable(struct vfio_group *group)
-{
-	return (iommu_group_for_each_dev(group->iommu_group,
-					 group, vfio_dev_viable) == 0);
-}
-
 static int vfio_group_add_container_user(struct vfio_group *group)
 {
 	if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&group->container_users))
@@ -1328,7 +1322,7 @@ static int vfio_group_add_container_user(struct vfio_group *group)
 		atomic_dec(&group->container_users);
 		return -EPERM;
 	}
-	if (!group->container->iommu_driver || !vfio_group_viable(group)) {
+	if (!group->container->iommu_driver) {
 		atomic_dec(&group->container_users);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
@@ -1346,7 +1340,7 @@ static int vfio_group_get_device_fd(struct vfio_group *group, char *buf)
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	if (0 == atomic_read(&group->container_users) ||
-	    !group->container->iommu_driver || !vfio_group_viable(group))
+	    !group->container->iommu_driver)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (group->type == VFIO_NO_IOMMU && !capable(CAP_SYS_RAWIO))
@@ -1438,11 +1432,11 @@ static long vfio_group_fops_unl_ioctl(struct file *filep,
 
 		status.flags = 0;
 
-		if (vfio_group_viable(group))
-			status.flags |= VFIO_GROUP_FLAGS_VIABLE;
-
 		if (group->container)
-			status.flags |= VFIO_GROUP_FLAGS_CONTAINER_SET;
+			status.flags |= VFIO_GROUP_FLAGS_CONTAINER_SET |
+					VFIO_GROUP_FLAGS_VIABLE;
+		else if (!iommu_group_dma_owner_claimed(group->iommu_group))
+			status.flags |= VFIO_GROUP_FLAGS_VIABLE;
 
 		if (copy_to_user((void __user *)arg, &status, minsz))
 			return -EFAULT;