diff --git a/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c b/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
index 78559490e..42712bc1d 100644
--- a/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
+++ b/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
@@ -1533,10 +1533,21 @@ bdev_nvme_check_fast_io_fail_timeout(struct nvme_ctrlr *nvme_ctrlr)
 	}
 }
 
+static void bdev_nvme_reset_complete(struct nvme_ctrlr *nvme_ctrlr, bool success);
+
 static void
 nvme_ctrlr_disconnect(struct nvme_ctrlr *nvme_ctrlr, nvme_ctrlr_disconnected_cb cb_fn)
 {
-	int rc __attribute__((unused));
+	int rc;
+
+	rc = spdk_nvme_ctrlr_disconnect(nvme_ctrlr->ctrlr);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		/* Disconnect fails if ctrlr is already resetting or removed. In this case,
+		 * fail the reset sequence immediately.
+		 */
+		bdev_nvme_reset_complete(nvme_ctrlr, false);
+		return;
+	}
 
 	/* spdk_nvme_ctrlr_disconnect() may complete asynchronously later by polling adminq.
 	 * Set callback here to execute the specified operation after ctrlr is really disconnected.
@@ -1544,13 +1555,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_disconnect(struct nvme_ctrlr *nvme_ctrlr, nvme_ctrlr_disconnected_cb
 	assert(nvme_ctrlr->disconnected_cb == NULL);
 	nvme_ctrlr->disconnected_cb = cb_fn;
 
-	/* Disconnect fails if ctrlr is already resetting or removed. Both cases are
-	 * not possible. Reset is controlled and the callback to hot remove is called
-	 * when ctrlr is hot removed.
-	 */
-	rc = spdk_nvme_ctrlr_disconnect(nvme_ctrlr->ctrlr);
-	assert(rc == 0);
-
 	/* During disconnection, reduce the period to poll adminq more often. */
 	bdev_nvme_change_adminq_poll_period(nvme_ctrlr, 0);
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c/bdev_nvme_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c/bdev_nvme_ut.c
index a545c479f..f9a7e0519 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c/bdev_nvme_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c/bdev_nvme_ut.c
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr {
 	bool				attached;
 	bool				is_failed;
 	bool				fail_reset;
+	bool				is_removed;
 	struct spdk_nvme_transport_id	trid;
 	TAILQ_HEAD(, spdk_nvme_qpair)	active_io_qpairs;
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_nvme_ctrlr)	tailq;
@@ -764,6 +765,10 @@ spdk_nvme_ctrlr_reconnect_async(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 int
 spdk_nvme_ctrlr_disconnect(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 {
+	if (ctrlr->is_removed) {
+		return -ENXIO;
+	}
+
 	ctrlr->adminq.is_connected = false;
 	ctrlr->is_failed = false;
 
@@ -1303,6 +1308,17 @@ test_create_ctrlr(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_get_by_name("nvme0") == NULL);
 }
 
+static void
+ut_check_hotplug_on_reset(void *cb_arg, bool success)
+{
+	bool *detect_remove = cb_arg;
+
+	CU_ASSERT(success == false);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(detect_remove != NULL);
+
+	*detect_remove = true;
+}
+
 static void
 test_reset_ctrlr(void)
 {
@@ -1312,6 +1328,7 @@ test_reset_ctrlr(void)
 	struct nvme_path_id *curr_trid;
 	struct spdk_io_channel *ch1, *ch2;
 	struct nvme_ctrlr_channel *ctrlr_ch1, *ctrlr_ch2;
+	bool detect_remove;
 	int rc;
 
 	ut_init_trid(&trid);
@@ -1406,6 +1423,24 @@ test_reset_ctrlr(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr->resetting == false);
 	CU_ASSERT(curr_trid->is_failed == false);
 
+	/* Case 4: ctrlr is already removed. */
+	ctrlr.is_removed = true;
+
+	rc = bdev_nvme_reset(nvme_ctrlr);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+
+	detect_remove = false;
+	nvme_ctrlr->reset_cb_fn = ut_check_hotplug_on_reset;
+	nvme_ctrlr->reset_cb_arg = &detect_remove;
+
+	poll_threads();
+
+	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr->reset_cb_fn == NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr->reset_cb_arg == NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(detect_remove == true);
+
+	ctrlr.is_removed = false;
+
 	spdk_put_io_channel(ch2);
 
 	set_thread(0);