diff --git a/lib/bdev/bdev.c b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
index 9586ef3f2..d7b61e9a1 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/bdev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
@@ -3933,7 +3933,10 @@ spdk_bdev_close(struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc)
 	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_BDEV, "Closing descriptor %p for bdev %s on thread %p\n", desc, bdev->name,
 		      spdk_get_thread());
 
-	assert(desc->thread == spdk_get_thread());
+	if (desc->thread != spdk_get_thread()) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Descriptor %p for bdev %s closed on wrong thread (%p, expected %p)\n",
+			    desc, bdev->name, spdk_get_thread(), desc->thread);
+	}
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&bdev->internal.mutex);
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/mt/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/mt/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
index 5123cb8bf..0766af688 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/mt/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/mt/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ unregister_and_close(void)
 	/* Try hotremoving a bdev with descriptors which don't provide
 	 * the notification callback */
 	spdk_bdev_open(&g_bdev.bdev, true, NULL, NULL, &desc);
-	CU_ASSERT(desc != NULL);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(desc != NULL);
 
 	/* There is an open descriptor on the device. Unregister it,
 	 * which can't proceed until the descriptor is closed. */
@@ -387,8 +387,8 @@ unregister_and_close(void)
 
 	remove_notify = false;
 	spdk_bdev_open(&g_bdev.bdev, true, _bdev_removed, &remove_notify, &desc);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(desc != NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(remove_notify == false);
-	CU_ASSERT(desc != NULL);
 
 	/* There is an open descriptor on the device. Unregister it,
 	 * which can't proceed until the descriptor is closed. */