diff --git a/include/spdk/vhost.h b/include/spdk/vhost.h
index 98ffcebb8..1b0e80793 100644
--- a/include/spdk/vhost.h
+++ b/include/spdk/vhost.h
@@ -202,9 +202,9 @@ int spdk_vhost_scsi_dev_construct(const char *name, const char *cpumask);
  * LUN0 associated with given SPDK bdev. Currently only one LUN per
  * device is supported.
  *
- * If vhost SCSI device has an active socket connection, it is
- * required that it has negotiated \c VIRTIO_SCSI_F_HOTPLUG feature
- * flag. Otherwise an -ENOTSUP error code is returned.
+ * If the vhost SCSI device has an active connection and has negotiated
+ * \c VIRTIO_SCSI_F_HOTPLUG feature,  the new SCSI target should be
+ * automatically detected by the other side.
  *
  * \param vdev vhost SCSI device.
  * \param scsi_tgt_num slot to attach to.
diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c b/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
index f31632537..7c2ba7fd4 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
@@ -823,11 +823,6 @@ spdk_vhost_scsi_dev_add_tgt(struct spdk_vhost_dev *vdev, unsigned scsi_tgt_num,
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	if (vdev->lcore != -1 && !spdk_vhost_dev_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_SCSI_F_HOTPLUG)) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Controller %s is in use and hotplug is not supported\n", vdev->name);
-		return -ENOTSUP;
-	}
-
 	if (svdev->scsi_dev[scsi_tgt_num] != NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Controller %s target %u already occupied\n", vdev->name, scsi_tgt_num);
 		return -EEXIST;
@@ -852,13 +847,25 @@ spdk_vhost_scsi_dev_add_tgt(struct spdk_vhost_dev *vdev, unsigned scsi_tgt_num,
 	}
 	spdk_scsi_dev_add_port(svdev->scsi_dev[scsi_tgt_num], 0, "vhost");
 
-	if (vdev->lcore != -1) {
-		spdk_scsi_dev_allocate_io_channels(svdev->scsi_dev[scsi_tgt_num]);
-		eventq_enqueue(svdev, scsi_tgt_num, VIRTIO_SCSI_T_TRANSPORT_RESET, VIRTIO_SCSI_EVT_RESET_RESCAN);
-	}
-
 	SPDK_INFOLOG(SPDK_LOG_VHOST, "Controller %s: defined target '%s' using bdev '%s'\n",
 		     vdev->name, target_name, bdev_name);
+
+	if (vdev->lcore == -1) {
+		/* All done. */
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	spdk_scsi_dev_allocate_io_channels(svdev->scsi_dev[scsi_tgt_num]);
+
+	if (spdk_vhost_dev_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_SCSI_F_HOTPLUG)) {
+		eventq_enqueue(svdev, scsi_tgt_num, VIRTIO_SCSI_T_TRANSPORT_RESET,
+			       VIRTIO_SCSI_EVT_RESET_RESCAN);
+	} else {
+		SPDK_NOTICELOG("Device %s does not support hotplug. "
+			       "Please restart the driver or perform a rescan.\n",
+			       vdev->name);
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }