A method, apparatus and system for restarting an emulated mainframe IOP, such as a failed or hung emulated mainframe IOP within an emulated mainframe commodity computer. The method includes a rescue process that polls a home location for Restart Request information. In response to receiving Restart Request information, the rescue process is configured to shut down the existing emulated mainframe IOP, start a new emulated mainframe IOP, and reset the home location. The Restart Request information can be provided to the home location by the mainframe computer being emulated. Alternatively, the rescue mechanism can use an interface management card instructed to restart the commodity computer hosting the failed or hung IOP, e.g., from a maintenance service and/or a maintenance program residing in an active commodity computer coupled to the commodity computers hosting one of several emulated mainframe IOPs.