diff --git a/lib/bdev/bdev.c b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
index 4cf4bf1fd..3d7481d20 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/bdev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
@@ -4308,6 +4308,12 @@ spdk_bdev_open(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, bool write, spdk_bdev_remove_cb_t remove_
 	*_desc = desc;
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&bdev->internal.mutex);
+	if (bdev->internal.status == SPDK_BDEV_STATUS_REMOVING) {
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&bdev->internal.mutex);
+		free(desc);
+		*_desc = NULL;
+		return -ENODEV;
+	}
 
 	if (write && bdev->internal.claim_module) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Could not open %s - %s module already claimed it\n",
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
index 77a767579..382531dfa 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
@@ -1975,6 +1975,29 @@ bdev_write_zeroes(void)
 	poll_threads();
 }
 
+static void
+bdev_open_while_hotremove(void)
+{
+	struct spdk_bdev *bdev;
+	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc[2] = {};
+	int rc;
+
+	bdev = allocate_bdev("bdev");
+
+	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev, false, NULL, NULL, &desc[0]);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(desc[0] != NULL);
+
+	spdk_bdev_unregister(bdev, NULL, NULL);
+
+	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev, false, NULL, NULL, &desc[1]);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == -ENODEV);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(desc[1] == NULL);
+
+	spdk_bdev_close(desc[0]);
+	free_bdev(bdev);
+}
+
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -2006,7 +2029,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		CU_add_test(suite, "bdev_io_alignment_with_boundary", bdev_io_alignment_with_boundary) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "bdev_io_alignment", bdev_io_alignment) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "bdev_histograms", bdev_histograms) == NULL ||
-		CU_add_test(suite, "bdev_write_zeroes", bdev_write_zeroes) == NULL
+		CU_add_test(suite, "bdev_write_zeroes", bdev_write_zeroes) == NULL ||
+		CU_add_test(suite, "bdev_open_while_hotremove", bdev_open_while_hotremove) == NULL
 	) {
 		CU_cleanup_registry();
 		return CU_get_error();