diff --git a/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c b/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
index 4eb949544..e1eb31e8d 100644
--- a/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
+++ b/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
@@ -1539,8 +1539,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_depopulate_standard_namespace(struct nvme_bdev_ns *nvme_ns)
 		spdk_bdev_unregister(&bdev->disk, NULL, NULL);
 	}
 
-	nvme_ns->populated = false;
-
 	nvme_ctrlr_depopulate_namespace_done(nvme_ns);
 }
 
diff --git a/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_ocssd.c b/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_ocssd.c
index bb227e348..54952f1d4 100644
--- a/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_ocssd.c
+++ b/module/bdev/nvme/bdev_ocssd.c
@@ -906,8 +906,6 @@ bdev_ocssd_free_namespace(struct nvme_bdev_ns *nvme_ns)
 	free(nvme_ns->type_ctx);
 	nvme_ns->type_ctx = NULL;
 
-	nvme_ns->populated = false;
-
 	nvme_ctrlr_depopulate_namespace_done(nvme_ns);
 }
 
diff --git a/module/bdev/nvme/common.c b/module/bdev/nvme/common.c
index ee4e3bf16..eceeaa692 100644
--- a/module/bdev/nvme/common.c
+++ b/module/bdev/nvme/common.c
@@ -194,6 +194,9 @@ nvme_ctrlr_depopulate_namespace_done(struct nvme_bdev_ns *nvme_ns)
 	assert(nvme_bdev_ctrlr != NULL);
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&nvme_bdev_ctrlr->mutex);
+
+	nvme_ns->populated = false;
+
 	assert(nvme_ns->ref > 0);
 	nvme_ns->ref--;
 	if (nvme_ns->ref > 0) {