diff --git a/tools/virsh-domain.c b/tools/virsh-domain.c
index a7ffd2b7eeabb7bb2e84b800f73995bf4e98813c..9f1a3d46f1eb96481c1bc34f59906ff606edd61b 100644
--- a/tools/virsh-domain.c
+++ b/tools/virsh-domain.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 #include "virfile.h"
 #include "virkeycode.h"
 #include "virmacaddr.h"
+#include "virstring.h"
 #include "virsh-domain-monitor.h"
 #include "virterror_internal.h"
 #include "virtypedparam.h"
@@ -4029,19 +4030,27 @@ static const vshCmdOptDef opts_shutdown[] = {
 static bool
 cmdShutdown(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
 {
-    virDomainPtr dom;
-    bool ret = true;
+    virDomainPtr dom = NULL;
+    bool ret = false;
     const char *name;
     const char *mode = NULL;
     int flags = 0;
     int rv;
+    char **modes, **tmp;
 
     if (vshCommandOptString(cmd, "mode", &mode) < 0) {
         vshError(ctl, "%s", _("Invalid type"));
         return false;
     }
 
-    if (mode) {
+    if (!(modes = virStringSplit(mode, ",", 0))) {
+        vshError(ctl, "%s", _("Cannot parse mode string"));
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    tmp = modes;
+    while (*tmp) {
+        mode = *tmp;
         if (STREQ(mode, "acpi")) {
             flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_SHUTDOWN_ACPI_POWER_BTN;
         } else if (STREQ(mode, "agent")) {
@@ -4053,12 +4062,13 @@ cmdShutdown(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
         } else {
             vshError(ctl, _("Unknown mode %s value, expecting "
                             "'acpi', 'agent', 'initctl' or 'signal'"), mode);
-            return false;
+            goto cleanup;
         }
+        tmp++;
     }
 
     if (!(dom = vshCommandOptDomain(ctl, cmd, &name)))
-        return false;
+        goto cleanup;
 
     if (flags)
         rv = virDomainShutdownFlags(dom, flags);
@@ -4068,10 +4078,14 @@ cmdShutdown(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
         vshPrint(ctl, _("Domain %s is being shutdown\n"), name);
     } else {
         vshError(ctl, _("Failed to shutdown domain %s"), name);
-        ret = false;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    virDomainFree(dom);
+    ret = true;
+cleanup:
+    if (dom)
+        virDomainFree(dom);
+    virStringFreeList(modes);
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -4093,18 +4107,26 @@ static const vshCmdOptDef opts_reboot[] = {
 static bool
 cmdReboot(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
 {
-    virDomainPtr dom;
-    bool ret = true;
+    virDomainPtr dom = NULL;
+    bool ret = false;
     const char *name;
     const char *mode = NULL;
     int flags = 0;
+    char **modes, **tmp;
 
     if (vshCommandOptString(cmd, "mode", &mode) < 0) {
         vshError(ctl, "%s", _("Invalid type"));
         return false;
     }
 
-    if (mode) {
+    if (!(modes = virStringSplit(mode, ",", 0))) {
+        vshError(ctl, "%s", _("Cannot parse mode string"));
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    tmp = modes;
+    while (*tmp) {
+        mode = *tmp;
         if (STREQ(mode, "acpi")) {
             flags |= VIR_DOMAIN_REBOOT_ACPI_POWER_BTN;
         } else if (STREQ(mode, "agent")) {
@@ -4116,21 +4138,26 @@ cmdReboot(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
         } else {
             vshError(ctl, _("Unknown mode %s value, expecting "
                             "'acpi', 'agent', 'initctl' or 'signal'"), mode);
-            return false;
+            goto cleanup;
         }
+        tmp++;
     }
 
     if (!(dom = vshCommandOptDomain(ctl, cmd, &name)))
-        return false;
+        goto cleanup;
 
     if (virDomainReboot(dom, flags) == 0) {
         vshPrint(ctl, _("Domain %s is being rebooted\n"), name);
     } else {
         vshError(ctl, _("Failed to reboot domain %s"), name);
-        ret = false;
+        goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    virDomainFree(dom);
+    ret = true;
+cleanup:
+    if (dom)
+        virDomainFree(dom);
+    virStringFreeList(modes);
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/virsh.pod b/tools/virsh.pod
index c901b11d562c7325bb2b71fcc29026abaf4650c7..7dde3df2eceacf982b43ee9296622193edca3c7c 100644
--- a/tools/virsh.pod
+++ b/tools/virsh.pod
@@ -1137,7 +1137,7 @@ If I<--live> is specified, set scheduler information of a running guest.
 If I<--config> is specified, affect the next boot of a persistent guest.
 If I<--current> is specified, affect the current guest state.
 
-=item B<reboot> I<domain> [I<--mode acpi|agent>]
+=item B<reboot> I<domain> [I<--mode MODE-LIST>]
 
 Reboot a domain.  This acts just as if the domain had the B<reboot>
 command run from the console.  The command returns as soon as it has
@@ -1149,7 +1149,11 @@ I<on_reboot> parameter in the domain's XML definition.
 
 By default the hypervisor will try to pick a suitable shutdown
 method. To specify an alternative method, the I<--mode> parameter
-can specify C<acpi> or C<agent>.
+can specify a comma separated list which includes C<acpi>, C<agent>,
+C<initctl> and C<signal>. The order in which drivers will try each
+mode is undefined, and not related to the order specified to virsh.
+For strict control over ordering, use a single mode at a time and
+repeat the command.
 
 =item B<reset> I<domain>
 
@@ -1567,7 +1571,7 @@ The I<--maximum> flag controls the maximum number of virtual cpus that can
 be hot-plugged the next time the domain is booted.  As such, it must only be
 used with the I<--config> flag, and not with the I<--live> flag.
 
-=item B<shutdown> I<domain> [I<--mode acpi|agent>]
+=item B<shutdown> I<domain> [I<--mode MODE-LIST>]
 
 Gracefully shuts down a domain.  This coordinates with the domain OS
 to perform graceful shutdown, so there is no guarantee that it will
@@ -1584,7 +1588,11 @@ snapshot metadata with B<snapshot-create>.
 
 By default the hypervisor will try to pick a suitable shutdown
 method. To specify an alternative method, the I<--mode> parameter
-can specify C<acpi> or C<agent>.
+can specify a comma separated list which includes C<acpi>, C<agent>,
+C<initctl> and C<signal>. The order in which drivers will try each
+mode is undefined, and not related to the order specified to virsh.
+For strict control over ordering, use a single mode at a time and
+repeat the command.
 
 =item B<start> I<domain-name-or-uuid> [I<--console>] [I<--paused>]
 [I<--autodestroy>] [I<--bypass-cache>] [I<--force-boot>]