diff --git a/include/spdk/bdev_module.h b/include/spdk/bdev_module.h
index aa1c4f5ba..46f2cbdea 100644
--- a/include/spdk/bdev_module.h
+++ b/include/spdk/bdev_module.h
@@ -724,15 +724,6 @@ struct bdev_part_tailq *spdk_bdev_part_base_get_tailq(struct spdk_bdev_part_base
  */
 void *spdk_bdev_part_base_get_ctx(struct spdk_bdev_part_base *part_base);
 
-/**
- * Returns the reference number associated with an spdk_bdev_part_base
- *
- * \param part_base A pointer to an spdk_bdev_part_base object.
- *
- * \return The base's reference number.
- */
-uint32_t spdk_bdev_part_base_get_ref(struct spdk_bdev_part_base *part_base);
-
 typedef void (*spdk_bdev_part_base_free_fn)(void *ctx);
 
 struct spdk_bdev_part {
diff --git a/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c b/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
index 468a8f643..28c81b378 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ vbdev_gpt_create_bdevs(struct gpt_base *gpt_base)
 {
 	uint32_t num_partition_entries;
 	uint64_t i, head_lba_start, head_lba_end;
+	uint32_t num_partitions;
 	struct spdk_gpt_partition_entry *p;
 	struct gpt_disk *d;
 	struct spdk_gpt *gpt;
@@ -239,6 +240,7 @@ vbdev_gpt_create_bdevs(struct gpt_base *gpt_base)
 	num_partition_entries = from_le32(&gpt->header->num_partition_entries);
 	head_lba_start = from_le64(&gpt->header->first_usable_lba);
 	head_lba_end = from_le64(&gpt->header->last_usable_lba);
+	num_partitions = 0;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < num_partition_entries; i++) {
 		p = &gpt->partitions[i];
@@ -277,11 +279,11 @@ vbdev_gpt_create_bdevs(struct gpt_base *gpt_base)
 			free(d);
 			return -1;
 		}
-
+		num_partitions++;
 		d->partition_index = i;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	return num_partitions;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -289,8 +291,7 @@ spdk_gpt_bdev_complete(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io, bool status, void *arg)
 {
 	struct gpt_base *gpt_base = (struct gpt_base *)arg;
 	struct spdk_bdev *bdev = spdk_bdev_part_base_get_bdev(gpt_base->part_base);
-	uint32_t part_base_ref;
-	int rc;
+	int rc, num_partitions = 0;
 
 	spdk_bdev_free_io(bdev_io);
 	spdk_put_io_channel(gpt_base->ch);
@@ -308,8 +309,8 @@ spdk_gpt_bdev_complete(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io, bool status, void *arg)
 		goto end;
 	}
 
-	rc = vbdev_gpt_create_bdevs(gpt_base);
-	if (rc < 0) {
+	num_partitions = vbdev_gpt_create_bdevs(gpt_base);
+	if (num_partitions < 0) {
 		SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_VBDEV_GPT, "Failed to split dev=%s by gpt table\n",
 			      spdk_bdev_get_name(bdev));
 	}
@@ -320,9 +321,12 @@ end:
 	 *  callback are now completed.
 	 */
 	spdk_bdev_module_examine_done(&gpt_if);
-	part_base_ref = spdk_bdev_part_base_get_ref(gpt_base->part_base);
 
-	if (part_base_ref == 0) {
+	/*
+	 * vbdev_gpt_create_bdevs returns the number of bdevs created upon success.
+	 * We can branch on this value.
+	 */
+	if (num_partitions <= 0) {
 		/* If no gpt_disk instances were created, free the base context */
 		spdk_bdev_part_base_free(gpt_base->part_base);
 	}
diff --git a/lib/bdev/part.c b/lib/bdev/part.c
index 29c4a97d8..cd47faa37 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/part.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/part.c
@@ -79,12 +79,6 @@ spdk_bdev_part_base_get_ctx(struct spdk_bdev_part_base *part_base)
 	return part_base->ctx;
 }
 
-uint32_t
-spdk_bdev_part_base_get_ref(struct spdk_bdev_part_base *part_base)
-{
-	return part_base->ref;
-}
-
 void
 spdk_bdev_part_base_free(struct spdk_bdev_part_base *base)
 {
diff --git a/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c b/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
index ef6f2a317..e4fadeb1e 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ vbdev_split_destruct_config(struct spdk_vbdev_split_config *cfg)
 	struct bdev_part_tailq *split_base_tailq;
 
 	cfg->removed = true;
-	if (cfg->split_base != NULL && spdk_bdev_part_base_get_ref(cfg->split_base)) {
+	if (cfg->split_base != NULL) {
 		split_base_bdev = spdk_bdev_part_base_get_bdev(cfg->split_base);
 		split_base_tailq = spdk_bdev_part_base_get_tailq(cfg->split_base);
 		spdk_bdev_part_base_hotremove(split_base_bdev, split_base_tailq);
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ vbdev_split_examine(struct spdk_bdev *bdev)
 	struct spdk_vbdev_split_config *cfg = vbdev_split_config_find_by_base_name(bdev->name);
 
 	if (cfg != NULL && cfg->removed == false) {
-		assert(cfg->split_base == NULL || spdk_bdev_part_base_get_ref(cfg->split_base) == 0);
+		assert(cfg->split_base == NULL);
 
 		if (vbdev_split_create(cfg)) {
 			SPDK_ERRLOG("could not split bdev %s\n", bdev->name);