diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme.c b/lib/nvme/nvme.c
index ac09f82d3..f631c5041 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme.c
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ nvme_free_request(struct nvme_request *req)
 }
 
 int
-nvme_mutex_init_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx)
+nvme_robust_mutex_init_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
 
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ nvme_mutex_init_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx)
 		return -1;
 	}
 	if (pthread_mutexattr_setpshared(&attr, PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED) ||
+	    pthread_mutexattr_setrobust(&attr, PTHREAD_MUTEX_ROBUST) ||
 	    pthread_mutex_init(mtx, &attr)) {
 		rc = -1;
 	}
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ nvme_driver_init(void)
 	 */
 	assert(spdk_process_is_primary());
 
-	ret = nvme_mutex_init_shared(&g_spdk_nvme_driver->lock);
+	ret = nvme_robust_mutex_init_shared(&g_spdk_nvme_driver->lock);
 	if (ret != 0) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("failed to initialize mutex\n");
 		spdk_memzone_free(SPDK_NVME_DRIVER_NAME);
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index b42ae619b..877a121a3 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -1240,7 +1240,7 @@ nvme_ctrlr_start(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 }
 
 int
-nvme_mutex_init_recursive_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx)
+nvme_robust_mutex_init_recursive_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx)
 {
 	pthread_mutexattr_t attr;
 	int rc = 0;
@@ -1250,6 +1250,7 @@ nvme_mutex_init_recursive_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx)
 	}
 	if (pthread_mutexattr_settype(&attr, PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE) ||
 #ifndef __FreeBSD__
+	    pthread_mutexattr_setrobust(&attr, PTHREAD_MUTEX_ROBUST) ||
 	    pthread_mutexattr_setpshared(&attr, PTHREAD_PROCESS_SHARED) ||
 #endif
 	    pthread_mutex_init(mtx, &attr)) {
@@ -1276,7 +1277,7 @@ nvme_ctrlr_construct(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 
 	TAILQ_INIT(&ctrlr->active_io_qpairs);
 
-	rc = nvme_mutex_init_recursive_shared(&ctrlr->ctrlr_lock);
+	rc = nvme_robust_mutex_init_recursive_shared(&ctrlr->ctrlr_lock);
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		return rc;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index 791015150..3174e3b82 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -465,6 +465,26 @@ nvme_qpair_is_io_queue(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	return qpair->id != 0;
 }
 
+static inline int
+nvme_robust_mutex_lock(pthread_mutex_t *mtx)
+{
+	int rc = pthread_mutex_lock(mtx);
+
+#ifndef __FreeBSD__
+	if (rc == EOWNERDEAD) {
+		rc = pthread_mutex_consistent(mtx);
+	}
+#endif
+
+	return rc;
+}
+
+static inline int
+nvme_robust_mutex_unlock(pthread_mutex_t *mtx)
+{
+	return pthread_mutex_unlock(mtx);
+}
+
 /* Admin functions */
 int	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 		void *payload,
@@ -540,8 +560,8 @@ uint64_t nvme_get_quirks(const struct spdk_pci_id *id);
 
 void	spdk_nvme_ctrlr_opts_set_defaults(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_opts *opts);
 
-int	nvme_mutex_init_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx);
-int	nvme_mutex_init_recursive_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx);
+int	nvme_robust_mutex_init_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx);
+int	nvme_robust_mutex_init_recursive_shared(pthread_mutex_t *mtx);
 
 bool	nvme_completion_is_retry(const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cpl);
 void	nvme_qpair_print_command(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct spdk_nvme_cmd *cmd);