diff --git a/lib/iscsi/conn.c b/lib/iscsi/conn.c
index 3ca5c53d1..faab019be 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/conn.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/conn.c
@@ -752,13 +752,22 @@ spdk_iscsi_conns_cleanup(void)
 	shm_unlink(g_shm_name);
 }
 
+static void
+spdk_iscsi_conn_check_shutdown_cb(void *arg1, void *arg2)
+{
+	spdk_iscsi_conns_cleanup();
+	spdk_app_stop(0);
+}
+
 static void
 spdk_iscsi_conn_check_shutdown(void *arg)
 {
+	struct spdk_event *event;
+
 	if (spdk_iscsi_get_active_conns() == 0) {
-		spdk_poller_unregister(&g_shutdown_timer, NULL);
-		spdk_iscsi_conns_cleanup();
-		spdk_app_stop(0);
+		event = spdk_event_allocate(spdk_env_get_current_core(), spdk_iscsi_conn_check_shutdown_cb, NULL,
+					    NULL);
+		spdk_poller_unregister(&g_shutdown_timer, event);
 	}
 }