diff --git a/include/spdk/ftl.h b/include/spdk/ftl.h
index 33ba2abec..0c37ef39f 100644
--- a/include/spdk/ftl.h
+++ b/include/spdk/ftl.h
@@ -117,8 +117,6 @@ struct spdk_ftl_dev_init_opts {
 
 	/* Thread responsible for core tasks execution */
 	struct spdk_thread			*core_thread;
-	/* Thread responsible for read requests */
-	struct spdk_thread			*read_thread;
 
 	/* Device's config */
 	const struct spdk_ftl_conf		*conf;
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
index 3f2f5c37d..b1f81a7a9 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
@@ -396,23 +396,13 @@ ftl_check_core_thread(const struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 	return dev->core_thread.thread == spdk_get_thread();
 }
 
-static bool
-ftl_check_read_thread(const struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
-{
-	return dev->read_thread.thread == spdk_get_thread();
-}
-
 struct spdk_io_channel *
 ftl_get_io_channel(const struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 {
 	if (ftl_check_core_thread(dev)) {
 		return dev->core_thread.ioch;
 	}
-	if (ftl_check_read_thread(dev)) {
-		return dev->read_thread.ioch;
-	}
 
-	assert(0);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -2037,10 +2027,10 @@ ftl_io_read(struct ftl_io *io)
 {
 	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = io->dev;
 
-	if (ftl_check_read_thread(dev)) {
+	if (ftl_check_core_thread(dev)) {
 		ftl_io_call_foreach_child(io, ftl_io_read_leaf);
 	} else {
-		spdk_thread_send_msg(ftl_get_read_thread(dev), _ftl_io_read, io);
+		spdk_thread_send_msg(ftl_get_core_thread(dev), _ftl_io_read, io);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2246,27 +2236,6 @@ ftl_process_retry_queue(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 	}
 }
 
-int
-ftl_task_read(void *ctx)
-{
-	struct ftl_thread *thread = ctx;
-	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = thread->dev;
-
-	if (dev->halt) {
-		if (ftl_shutdown_complete(dev)) {
-			spdk_poller_unregister(&thread->poller);
-			return 0;
-		}
-	}
-
-	if (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&dev->retry_queue)) {
-		ftl_process_retry_queue(dev);
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 int
 ftl_task_core(void *ctx)
 {
@@ -2283,6 +2252,11 @@ ftl_task_core(void *ctx)
 	ftl_process_writes(dev);
 	ftl_process_relocs(dev);
 
+	if (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&dev->retry_queue)) {
+		ftl_process_retry_queue(dev);
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.h b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.h
index dce5b3f9e..51a51401c 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.h
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.h
@@ -229,7 +229,6 @@ struct spdk_ftl_dev {
 
 	/* Threads */
 	struct ftl_thread			core_thread;
-	struct ftl_thread			read_thread;
 
 	/* Devices' list */
 	STAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_ftl_dev)		stailq;
@@ -301,12 +300,6 @@ ftl_get_core_thread(const struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 	return dev->core_thread.thread;
 }
 
-static inline struct spdk_thread *
-ftl_get_read_thread(const struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
-{
-	return dev->read_thread.thread;
-}
-
 static inline size_t
 ftl_get_num_bands(const struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 {
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c b/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
index b16d1207e..ad5248a6b 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ ftl_init_bands_state(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 }
 
 static void
-_ftl_dev_init_thread(void *ctx)
+_ftl_dev_init_core_thread(void *ctx)
 {
 	struct ftl_thread *thread = ctx;
 	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = thread->dev;
@@ -507,35 +507,20 @@ _ftl_dev_init_thread(void *ctx)
 }
 
 static int
-ftl_dev_init_thread(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, struct ftl_thread *thread,
-		    struct spdk_thread *spdk_thread, spdk_poller_fn fn, uint64_t period_us)
+ftl_dev_init_core_thread(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, const struct spdk_ftl_dev_init_opts *opts)
 {
+	struct ftl_thread *thread = &dev->core_thread;
+
+	if (!opts->core_thread) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	thread->dev = dev;
-	thread->poller_fn = fn;
-	thread->thread = spdk_thread;
-	thread->period_us = period_us;
-
-	spdk_thread_send_msg(spdk_thread, _ftl_dev_init_thread, thread);
-	return 0;
-}
-
-static int
-ftl_dev_init_threads(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, const struct spdk_ftl_dev_init_opts *opts)
-{
-	if (!opts->core_thread || !opts->read_thread) {
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	if (ftl_dev_init_thread(dev, &dev->core_thread, opts->core_thread, ftl_task_core, 0)) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to initialize core thread\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	if (ftl_dev_init_thread(dev, &dev->read_thread, opts->read_thread, ftl_task_read, 0)) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to initialize read thread\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
+	thread->poller_fn = ftl_task_core;
+	thread->thread = opts->core_thread;
+	thread->period_us = 0;
 
+	spdk_thread_send_msg(opts->core_thread, _ftl_dev_init_core_thread, thread);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -834,8 +819,8 @@ ftl_dev_init_state(struct ftl_dev_init_ctx *init_ctx)
 
 	ftl_dev_update_bands(dev);
 
-	if (ftl_dev_init_threads(dev, &init_ctx->opts)) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to initialize device threads\n");
+	if (ftl_dev_init_core_thread(dev, &init_ctx->opts)) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to initialize device thread\n");
 		goto fail;
 	}
 
@@ -1131,9 +1116,6 @@ ftl_dev_free_sync(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 	if (dev->core_thread.thread) {
 		ftl_dev_free_thread(dev, &dev->core_thread);
 	}
-	if (dev->read_thread.thread) {
-		ftl_dev_free_thread(dev, &dev->read_thread);
-	}
 
 	if (dev->bands) {
 		for (i = 0; i < ftl_get_num_bands(dev); ++i) {
@@ -1322,7 +1304,7 @@ ftl_halt_poller(void *ctx)
 {
 	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = ctx;
 
-	if (!dev->core_thread.poller && !dev->read_thread.poller) {
+	if (!dev->core_thread.poller) {
 		spdk_poller_unregister(&dev->fini_ctx.poller);
 
 		if (ftl_dev_has_nv_cache(dev)) {
diff --git a/module/bdev/ftl/bdev_ftl.c b/module/bdev/ftl/bdev_ftl.c
index c6f430e8a..02e754bfe 100644
--- a/module/bdev/ftl/bdev_ftl.c
+++ b/module/bdev/ftl/bdev_ftl.c
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ bdev_ftl_create_bdev(const struct ftl_bdev_init_opts *bdev_opts,
 	opts.conf = &bdev_opts->ftl_conf;
 
 	/* TODO: set threads based on config */
-	opts.core_thread = opts.read_thread = spdk_get_thread();
+	opts.core_thread = spdk_get_thread();
 
 	rc = spdk_ftl_dev_init(&opts, bdev_ftl_create_cb, ftl_bdev);
 	if (rc) {