diff --git a/lib/bdev/null/bdev_null.c b/lib/bdev/null/bdev_null.c
index e1b604420..eddb979a4 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/null/bdev_null.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/null/bdev_null.c
@@ -279,6 +279,12 @@ null_bdev_destroy_cb(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
 	spdk_poller_unregister(&ch->poller);
 }
 
+static void
+_bdev_null_cleanup_cb(void *arg)
+{
+	spdk_free(g_null_read_buf);
+}
+
 static int
 bdev_null_initialize(void)
 {
@@ -358,8 +364,10 @@ bdev_null_initialize(void)
 
 		i++;
 	}
-
 end:
+	if (rc) {
+		spdk_io_device_unregister(&g_null_bdev_head, _bdev_null_cleanup_cb);
+	}
 	return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/vhost/other/invalid.config b/test/vhost/other/invalid.config
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58b703068
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/vhost/other/invalid.config
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# SPDK vhost configuration file
+#
+# Please write all parameters using ASCII.
+# The parameter must be quoted if it includes whitespace.
+
+# Configuration syntax:
+# Leading whitespace is ignored.
+# Lines starting with '#' are comments.
+# Lines ending with '\' are concatenated with the next line.
+# Bracketed ([]) names define sections
+
+[Global]
+  # Instance ID for multi-process support
+  # Default: 0
+  #InstanceID 0
+
+[Null]
+  Dev null0 512 513
diff --git a/test/vhost/other/negative.sh b/test/vhost/other/negative.sh
index 5728a2838..a34c462d4 100755
--- a/test/vhost/other/negative.sh
+++ b/test/vhost/other/negative.sh
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ if $VHOST_APP -c /path/to/non_existing_file/conf -f $SPDK_VHOST_SCSI_TEST_DIR/vh
 	fail "vhost started when specifying invalid config file"
 fi
 
+# Testing vhost start with invalid config. Vhost will exit with error as bdev module init failed
+if $VHOST_APP -c $NEGATIVE_BASE_DIR/invalid.config; then
+	fail "vhost started when specifying invalid config file"
+fi
+
 # Expecting vhost to fail if an incorrect argument is given
 if $VHOST_APP -x -h; then
 	fail "vhost started with invalid -x command line option"