diff --git a/include/spdk/scsi.h b/include/spdk/scsi.h
index 97ef2e9d6..d2457799d 100644
--- a/include/spdk/scsi.h
+++ b/include/spdk/scsi.h
@@ -141,16 +141,6 @@ struct spdk_scsi_task {
 
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_scsi_task) scsi_link;
 
-	/*
-	 * Pointer to scsi task owner's outstanding
-	 * task counter. Inc/Dec by get/put task functions.
-	 * Note: in the future, we could consider replacing this
-	 * with an owner-provided task management fuction that
-	 * could perform protocol specific task mangement
-	 * operations (such as tracking outstanding tasks).
-	 */
-	uint32_t *owner_task_ctr;
-
 	uint32_t abort_id;
 };
 
@@ -212,7 +202,7 @@ void spdk_scsi_port_free(struct spdk_scsi_port **pport);
 const char *spdk_scsi_port_get_name(const struct spdk_scsi_port *port);
 
 
-void spdk_scsi_task_construct(struct spdk_scsi_task *task, uint32_t *owner_task_ctr,
+void spdk_scsi_task_construct(struct spdk_scsi_task *task,
 			      void (*free_fn)(struct spdk_scsi_task *task),
 			      struct spdk_scsi_task *parent);
 void spdk_scsi_task_put(struct spdk_scsi_task *task);
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c b/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
index 3db515d04..2e3fdf57d 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
@@ -2863,7 +2863,7 @@ int spdk_iscsi_conn_handle_queued_tasks(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn)
 			uint32_t remaining_size = 0;
 
 			remaining_size = task->scsi.transfer_len - task->current_datain_offset;
-			subtask = spdk_iscsi_task_get(&conn->pending_task_cnt, task);
+			subtask = spdk_iscsi_task_get(conn, task);
 			assert(subtask != NULL);
 			subtask->scsi.offset = task->current_datain_offset;
 			subtask->scsi.length = DMIN32(SPDK_BDEV_LARGE_BUF_MAX_SIZE, remaining_size);
@@ -2934,7 +2934,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_op_scsi(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn, struct spdk_iscsi_pdu *pdu)
 
 	SPDK_TRACEDUMP(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "CDB", cdb, 16);
 
-	task = spdk_iscsi_task_get(&conn->pending_task_cnt, NULL);
+	task = spdk_iscsi_task_get(conn, NULL);
 	if (!task) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to acquire task\n");
 		return SPDK_ISCSI_CONNECTION_FATAL;
@@ -3250,7 +3250,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_op_task(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn, struct spdk_iscsi_pdu *pdu)
 	lun_i = spdk_islun2lun(lun);
 	dev = conn->dev;
 
-	task = spdk_iscsi_task_get(&conn->pending_task_cnt, NULL);
+	task = spdk_iscsi_task_get(conn, NULL);
 	if (!task) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to acquire task\n");
 		return SPDK_ISCSI_CONNECTION_FATAL;
@@ -4091,7 +4091,7 @@ static int spdk_iscsi_op_data(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn,
 		task->current_r2t_length = 0;
 	}
 
-	subtask = spdk_iscsi_task_get(&conn->pending_task_cnt, task);
+	subtask = spdk_iscsi_task_get(conn, task);
 	if (subtask == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to acquire subtask\n");
 		return SPDK_ISCSI_CONNECTION_FATAL;
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/task.c b/lib/iscsi/task.c
index f1d3c6735..ebcf7430d 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/task.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/task.c
@@ -36,17 +36,22 @@
 #include <rte_mempool.h>
 
 #include "spdk/log.h"
+#include "iscsi/conn.h"
 #include "iscsi/task.h"
 
 static void
-spdk_iscsi_task_free(struct spdk_scsi_task *task)
+spdk_iscsi_task_free(struct spdk_scsi_task *scsi_task)
 {
-	spdk_iscsi_task_disassociate_pdu((struct spdk_iscsi_task *)task);
+	struct spdk_iscsi_task *task = (struct spdk_iscsi_task *)scsi_task;
+
+	spdk_iscsi_task_disassociate_pdu(task);
 	rte_mempool_put(g_spdk_iscsi.task_pool, (void *)task);
+	assert(task->conn->pending_task_cnt > 0);
+	task->conn->pending_task_cnt--;
 }
 
 struct spdk_iscsi_task *
-spdk_iscsi_task_get(uint32_t *owner_task_ctr, struct spdk_iscsi_task *parent)
+spdk_iscsi_task_get(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn, struct spdk_iscsi_task *parent)
 {
 	struct spdk_iscsi_task *task;
 	int rc;
@@ -58,7 +63,10 @@ spdk_iscsi_task_get(uint32_t *owner_task_ctr, struct spdk_iscsi_task *parent)
 	}
 
 	memset(task, 0, sizeof(*task));
-	spdk_scsi_task_construct((struct spdk_scsi_task *)task, owner_task_ctr,
+	task->conn = conn;
+	assert(conn->pending_task_cnt < UINT32_MAX);
+	conn->pending_task_cnt++;
+	spdk_scsi_task_construct((struct spdk_scsi_task *)task,
 				 spdk_iscsi_task_free,
 				 (struct spdk_scsi_task *)parent);
 	if (parent) {
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/task.h b/lib/iscsi/task.h
index d01a0933b..975766bc1 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/task.h
+++ b/lib/iscsi/task.h
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 struct spdk_iscsi_task {
 	struct spdk_scsi_task	scsi;
 
+	struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn;
 	struct spdk_iscsi_pdu *pdu;
 	uint32_t outstanding_r2t;
 
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_task_get_cmdsn(struct spdk_iscsi_task *task)
 	return spdk_iscsi_task_get_pdu(task)->cmd_sn;
 }
 
-struct spdk_iscsi_task *spdk_iscsi_task_get(uint32_t *owner_task_ctr,
+struct spdk_iscsi_task *spdk_iscsi_task_get(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn,
 		struct spdk_iscsi_task *parent);
 
 static inline struct spdk_iscsi_task *
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
index bbd1869eb..93bb3fd1b 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
@@ -1058,7 +1058,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_tgt_node_cleanup_luns(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn,
 			continue;
 
 		/* we create a fake management task per LUN to cleanup */
-		task = spdk_iscsi_task_get(&conn->pending_task_cnt, NULL);
+		task = spdk_iscsi_task_get(conn, NULL);
 		if (!task) {
 			SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to acquire task\n");
 			return -1;
diff --git a/lib/scsi/task.c b/lib/scsi/task.c
index afc4f58dc..7ef8fa340 100644
--- a/lib/scsi/task.c
+++ b/lib/scsi/task.c
@@ -59,20 +59,13 @@ spdk_scsi_task_put(struct spdk_scsi_task *task)
 		}
 
 		spdk_scsi_task_free_data(task);
-		assert(task->owner_task_ctr != NULL);
-
-		if (*(task->owner_task_ctr) > 0) {
-			*(task->owner_task_ctr) -= 1;
-		} else {
-			SPDK_ERRLOG("task counter already 0\n");
-		}
 
 		task->free_fn(task);
 	}
 }
 
 void
-spdk_scsi_task_construct(struct spdk_scsi_task *task, uint32_t *owner_task_ctr,
+spdk_scsi_task_construct(struct spdk_scsi_task *task,
 			 void (*free_fn)(struct spdk_scsi_task *task),
 			 struct spdk_scsi_task *parent)
 {
@@ -81,10 +74,6 @@ spdk_scsi_task_construct(struct spdk_scsi_task *task, uint32_t *owner_task_ctr,
 
 	task->ref++;
 
-	assert(owner_task_ctr != NULL);
-	task->owner_task_ctr = owner_task_ctr;
-	*owner_task_ctr += 1;
-
 	/*
 	 * Pre-fill the iov_buffers to point to the embedded iov
 	 */
diff --git a/lib/vhost/task.c b/lib/vhost/task.c
index 00ef01192..31d727f9a 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/task.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/task.c
@@ -68,10 +68,11 @@ spdk_vhost_task_free_cb(struct spdk_scsi_task *scsi_task)
 	struct spdk_vhost_task *task = container_of(scsi_task, struct spdk_vhost_task, scsi);
 
 	rte_mempool_put(g_task_pool, task);
+	spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr_task_unref(task->vdev);
 }
 
 struct spdk_vhost_task *
-spdk_vhost_task_get(uint32_t *owner_task_ctr)
+spdk_vhost_task_get(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev)
 {
 	struct spdk_vhost_task *task;
 	int rc;
@@ -83,7 +84,9 @@ spdk_vhost_task_get(uint32_t *owner_task_ctr)
 	}
 
 	memset(task, 0, sizeof(*task));
-	spdk_scsi_task_construct(&task->scsi, owner_task_ctr, spdk_vhost_task_free_cb, NULL);
+	task->vdev = vdev;
+	spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr_task_ref(task->vdev);
+	spdk_scsi_task_construct(&task->scsi, spdk_vhost_task_free_cb, NULL);
 
 	return task;
 }
diff --git a/lib/vhost/task.h b/lib/vhost/task.h
index 46bcffb17..1be79b491 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/task.h
+++ b/lib/vhost/task.h
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ void spdk_vhost_enqueue_task(struct spdk_vhost_task *task);
 struct spdk_vhost_task *spdk_vhost_dequeue_task(void);
 
 void spdk_vhost_task_put(struct spdk_vhost_task *task);
-struct spdk_vhost_task *spdk_vhost_task_get(uint32_t *owner_task_ctr);
+struct spdk_vhost_task *spdk_vhost_task_get(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev);
+
+void spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr_task_ref(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev);
+void spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr_task_unref(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev);
 
 void spdk_vhost_iovec_free(struct iovec *iov);
 struct iovec *spdk_vhost_iovec_alloc(void);
diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost.c b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
index dbbc1c63a..499481de2 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
@@ -398,6 +398,20 @@ get_scsi_lun(struct spdk_scsi_dev *scsi_dev, const __u8 *lun)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+void
+spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr_task_ref(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev)
+{
+	assert(vdev->task_cnt < INT_MAX);
+	vdev->task_cnt++;
+}
+
+void
+spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr_task_unref(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev)
+{
+	assert(vdev->task_cnt > 0);
+	vdev->task_cnt--;
+}
+
 static void
 process_ctrl_request(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev, struct rte_vhost_vring *controlq,
 		     uint16_t req_idx)
@@ -418,7 +432,7 @@ process_ctrl_request(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev, struct rte_vhost_vring
 	SPDK_TRACEDUMP(SPDK_TRACE_VHOST_QUEUE, "Request desriptor", (uint8_t *)ctrl_req,
 		       desc->len);
 
-	task = spdk_vhost_task_get(&vdev->task_cnt);
+	task = spdk_vhost_task_get(vdev);
 	task->vq = controlq;
 	task->vdev = vdev;
 	task->req_idx = req_idx;
@@ -662,7 +676,7 @@ process_requestq(struct spdk_vhost_scsi_ctrlr *vdev, struct rte_vhost_vring *vq)
 	assert(reqs_cnt <= 32);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < reqs_cnt; i++) {
-		task = spdk_vhost_task_get(&vdev->task_cnt);
+		task = spdk_vhost_task_get(vdev);
 
 		SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_VHOST, "====== Starting processing request idx %"PRIu16"======\n",
 			      reqs[i]);
diff --git a/test/lib/iscsi/common.c b/test/lib/iscsi/common.c
index 63d44ea38..99fdeebb1 100644
--- a/test/lib/iscsi/common.c
+++ b/test/lib/iscsi/common.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 SPDK_LOG_REGISTER_TRACE_FLAG("iscsi", SPDK_TRACE_ISCSI)
 
 struct spdk_iscsi_task *
-spdk_iscsi_task_get(uint32_t *owner_task_ctr, struct spdk_iscsi_task *parent)
+spdk_iscsi_task_get(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn, struct spdk_iscsi_task *parent)
 {
 	struct spdk_iscsi_task *task;
 
diff --git a/test/lib/scsi/lun/lun_ut.c b/test/lib/scsi/lun/lun_ut.c
index 27e72e15f..81de68259 100644
--- a/test/lib/scsi/lun/lun_ut.c
+++ b/test/lib/scsi/lun/lun_ut.c
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ static void
 spdk_lun_ut_free_task(struct spdk_scsi_task *task)
 {
 	free(task);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_task_count > 0);
+	g_task_count--;
 }
 
 static struct spdk_scsi_task *
@@ -86,7 +88,8 @@ spdk_get_task(uint32_t *owner_task_ctr)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	spdk_scsi_task_construct(task, &g_task_count, spdk_lun_ut_free_task, NULL);
+	spdk_scsi_task_construct(task, spdk_lun_ut_free_task, NULL);
+	g_task_count++;
 
 	return task;
 }