diff --git a/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h b/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
index 19eb63614..83d1a731d 100644
--- a/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
+++ b/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ struct spdk_bdev {
 
 	bool bdev_opened_for_write;
 
-	uint32_t vbdevs_opened_for_write;
+	struct spdk_bdev_module_if *vbdev_claim_module;
 
 	/** List of open descriptors for this block device. */
 	TAILQ_HEAD(, spdk_bdev_desc) open_descs;
@@ -385,6 +385,10 @@ void spdk_vbdev_unregister(struct spdk_bdev *vbdev);
 
 void spdk_vbdev_module_examine_done(struct spdk_bdev_module_if *module);
 
+int spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc,
+				 struct spdk_bdev_module_if *module);
+void spdk_vbdev_module_release_bdev(struct spdk_bdev *bdev);
+
 void spdk_bdev_poller_start(struct spdk_bdev_poller **ppoller,
 			    spdk_bdev_poller_fn fn,
 			    void *arg,
diff --git a/lib/bdev/bdev.c b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
index d44ed3284..a8ae347a7 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/bdev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
@@ -1397,7 +1397,6 @@ _spdk_bdev_register(struct spdk_bdev *bdev)
 	bdev->gencnt = 0;
 	TAILQ_INIT(&bdev->open_descs);
 	bdev->bdev_opened_for_write = false;
-	bdev->vbdevs_opened_for_write = 0;
 
 	TAILQ_INIT(&bdev->vbdevs);
 	TAILQ_INIT(&bdev->base_bdevs);
@@ -1516,35 +1515,6 @@ spdk_vbdev_module_examine_done(struct spdk_bdev_module_if *module)
 	}
 }
 
-static bool
-__is_bdev_opened_for_write(struct spdk_bdev *bdev)
-{
-	struct spdk_bdev *base;
-
-	if (bdev->bdev_opened_for_write) {
-		return true;
-	}
-
-	TAILQ_FOREACH(base, &bdev->base_bdevs, base_bdev_link) {
-		if (__is_bdev_opened_for_write(base)) {
-			return true;
-		}
-	}
-
-	return false;
-}
-
-static void
-__modify_write_counts(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, int mod)
-{
-	struct spdk_bdev *base;
-
-	TAILQ_FOREACH(base, &bdev->base_bdevs, base_bdev_link) {
-		base->vbdevs_opened_for_write += mod;
-		__modify_write_counts(base, mod);
-	}
-}
-
 int
 spdk_bdev_open(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, bool write, spdk_bdev_remove_cb_t remove_cb,
 	       void *remove_ctx, struct spdk_bdev_desc **_desc)
@@ -1558,8 +1528,8 @@ spdk_bdev_open(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, bool write, spdk_bdev_remove_cb_t remove_
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&bdev->mutex);
 
-	if (write && (__is_bdev_opened_for_write(bdev) || bdev->vbdevs_opened_for_write > 0)) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("failed, %s (or one of its virtual bdevs) already opened for write\n", bdev->name);
+	if (write && (bdev->bdev_opened_for_write || bdev->vbdev_claim_module)) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("failed, %s already opened for write or claimed\n", bdev->name);
 		free(desc);
 		pthread_mutex_unlock(&bdev->mutex);
 		return -EPERM;
@@ -1569,7 +1539,6 @@ spdk_bdev_open(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, bool write, spdk_bdev_remove_cb_t remove_
 
 	if (write) {
 		bdev->bdev_opened_for_write = true;
-		__modify_write_counts(bdev, 1);
 	}
 
 	desc->bdev = bdev;
@@ -1594,7 +1563,6 @@ spdk_bdev_close(struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc)
 	if (desc->write) {
 		assert(bdev->bdev_opened_for_write);
 		bdev->bdev_opened_for_write = false;
-		__modify_write_counts(bdev, -1);
 	}
 
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&bdev->open_descs, desc, link);
@@ -1610,6 +1578,36 @@ spdk_bdev_close(struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc)
 	}
 }
 
+int
+spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc,
+			     struct spdk_bdev_module_if *module)
+{
+	if (bdev->vbdev_claim_module != NULL) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("bdev %s already claimed by module %s\n", bdev->name,
+			    bdev->vbdev_claim_module->name);
+		return -EPERM;
+	}
+
+	if ((!desc || !desc->write) && bdev->bdev_opened_for_write) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("bdev %s already opened with write access\n", bdev->name);
+		return -EPERM;
+	}
+
+	if (desc && !desc->write) {
+		desc->write = true;
+	}
+
+	bdev->vbdev_claim_module = module;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void
+spdk_vbdev_module_release_bdev(struct spdk_bdev *bdev)
+{
+	assert(bdev->vbdev_claim_module != NULL);
+	bdev->vbdev_claim_module = NULL;
+}
+
 void
 spdk_bdev_io_get_iovec(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io, struct iovec **iovp, int *iovcntp)
 {
diff --git a/lib/bdev/error/vbdev_error.c b/lib/bdev/error/vbdev_error.c
index 00ededbdf..24aae4da6 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/error/vbdev_error.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/error/vbdev_error.c
@@ -259,13 +259,22 @@ spdk_vbdev_error_create(struct spdk_bdev *base_bdev)
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
+	rc = spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(base_bdev, NULL, SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(error));
+	if (rc) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("could not claim bdev %s\n", spdk_bdev_get_name(base_bdev));
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
 	disk->base_bdev = base_bdev;
-	memcpy(&disk->disk, base_bdev, sizeof(*base_bdev));
 	disk->disk.name = spdk_sprintf_alloc("EE_%s", base_bdev->name);
 	if (!disk->disk.name) {
 		rc = -ENOMEM;
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
+	disk->disk.blockcnt = base_bdev->blockcnt;
+	disk->disk.blocklen = base_bdev->blocklen;
+	disk->disk.write_cache = base_bdev->write_cache;
+	disk->disk.max_unmap_bdesc_count = base_bdev->max_unmap_bdesc_count;
 	disk->disk.product_name = "Error Injection Disk";
 	disk->disk.ctxt = disk;
 	disk->disk.fn_table = &vbdev_error_fn_table;
diff --git a/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c b/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
index d8812a2d8..5a12073eb 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
@@ -422,6 +422,8 @@ static void
 spdk_gpt_bdev_complete(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io, bool status, void *arg)
 {
 	struct spdk_gpt_bdev *gpt_bdev = (struct spdk_gpt_bdev *)arg;
+	struct spdk_bdev *bdev = gpt_bdev->bdev;
+	bool claimed = false;
 	int rc;
 
 	/* free the ch and also close the bdev_desc */
@@ -429,10 +431,11 @@ spdk_gpt_bdev_complete(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io, bool status, void *arg)
 	gpt_bdev->ch = NULL;
 	spdk_bdev_close(gpt_bdev->bdev_desc);
 	gpt_bdev->bdev_desc = NULL;
+	spdk_bdev_free_io(bdev_io);
 
 	if (status != SPDK_BDEV_IO_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Gpt: bdev=%s io error status=%d\n",
-			    spdk_bdev_get_name(gpt_bdev->bdev), status);
+			    spdk_bdev_get_name(bdev), status);
 		goto end;
 	}
 
@@ -442,10 +445,17 @@ spdk_gpt_bdev_complete(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io, bool status, void *arg)
 		goto end;
 	}
 
+	rc = spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(bdev, NULL, SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(gpt));
+	if (rc) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("could not claim bdev %s\n", spdk_bdev_get_name(bdev));
+		goto end;
+	}
+
+	claimed = true;
 	rc = vbdev_gpt_create_bdevs(gpt_bdev);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_VBDEV_GPT, "Failed to split dev=%s by gpt table\n",
-			      spdk_bdev_get_name(gpt_bdev->bdev));
+			      spdk_bdev_get_name(bdev));
 	}
 
 end:
@@ -455,10 +465,12 @@ end:
 	 */
 	spdk_vbdev_module_examine_done(SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(gpt));
 
-	spdk_bdev_free_io(bdev_io);
 	if (gpt_bdev->ref == 0) {
 		/* If no gpt_partition_disk instances were created, free the base context */
 		spdk_gpt_bdev_free(gpt_bdev);
+		if (claimed) {
+			spdk_vbdev_module_release_bdev(bdev);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/bdev/rpc/bdev_rpc.c b/lib/bdev/rpc/bdev_rpc.c
index 927b7c31e..ae940abf0 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/rpc/bdev_rpc.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/rpc/bdev_rpc.c
@@ -74,9 +74,6 @@ spdk_rpc_get_bdevs(struct spdk_jsonrpc_request *request,
 		spdk_json_write_name(w, "bdev_opened_for_write");
 		spdk_json_write_bool(w, bdev->bdev_opened_for_write);
 
-		spdk_json_write_name(w, "vbdevs_opened_for_write");
-		spdk_json_write_uint32(w, bdev->vbdevs_opened_for_write);
-
 		spdk_json_write_name(w, "driver_specific");
 		spdk_json_write_object_begin(w);
 		spdk_bdev_dump_config_json(bdev, w);
diff --git a/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c b/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
index c85662c55..33a8abd5f 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
@@ -240,6 +240,12 @@ vbdev_split_create(struct spdk_bdev *base_bdev, uint64_t split_count, uint64_t s
 	int rc;
 	struct split_base *split_base;
 
+	rc = spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(base_bdev, NULL, SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(split));
+	if (rc) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("could not claim bdev %s\n", spdk_bdev_get_name(base_bdev));
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	if (split_size_mb) {
 		if (((split_size_mb * mb) % base_bdev->blocklen) != 0) {
 			SPDK_ERRLOG("Split size %" PRIu64 " MB is not possible with block size "
diff --git a/test/lib/bdev/blockdev.sh b/test/lib/bdev/blockdev.sh
index 508b67407..c50b84ab2 100755
--- a/test/lib/bdev/blockdev.sh
+++ b/test/lib/bdev/blockdev.sh
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ timing_exit bounds
 if [ $(uname -s) = Linux ] && hash sgdisk; then
 	echo "[Rpc]" >> $testdir/bdev.conf
 	echo "  Enable Yes" >> $testdir/bdev.conf
+	echo "[Gpt]" >> $testdir/bdev.conf
+	echo "  Disable Yes" >> $testdir/bdev.conf
 
 	if [ ! -z "`grep "Nvme0" $testdir/bdev.conf`" ]; then
 		modprobe nbd
@@ -38,8 +40,10 @@ if [ $(uname -s) = Linux ] && hash sgdisk; then
 		fi
 		killprocess $nbd_pid
 
-		# run nbd again to test get_bdevs
-		$testdir/nbd/nbd -c $testdir/bdev.conf -b Nvme0n1 -n /dev/nbd0 &
+		# enable the gpt module and run nbd again to test get_bdevs and
+		# bind nbd to the new gpt partition bdev
+		sed -i'' '/Disable/d' $testdir/bdev.conf
+		$testdir/nbd/nbd -c $testdir/bdev.conf -b Nvme0n1p1 -n /dev/nbd0 &
 		nbd_pid=$!
 		waitforlisten $nbd_pid 5260
 		waitforbdev Nvme0n1p1 $rootdir/scripts/rpc.py
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
index fe6cf5a01..323018a22 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
@@ -217,12 +217,25 @@ open_write_test(void)
 	 */
 
 	bdev[0] = allocate_bdev("bdev0");
+	rc = spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(bdev[0], NULL, SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(bdev_ut));
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+
 	bdev[1] = allocate_bdev("bdev1");
+	rc = spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(bdev[1], NULL, SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(bdev_ut));
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+
 	bdev[2] = allocate_bdev("bdev2");
+	rc = spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(bdev[2], NULL, SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(bdev_ut));
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 
 	bdev[3] = allocate_vbdev("bdev3", bdev[0], bdev[1]);
+	rc = spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(bdev[3], NULL, SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(bdev_ut));
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 
 	bdev[4] = allocate_vbdev("bdev4", bdev[2], NULL);
+	rc = spdk_vbdev_module_claim_bdev(bdev[4], NULL, SPDK_GET_BDEV_MODULE(bdev_ut));
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
+
 	bdev[5] = allocate_vbdev("bdev5", bdev[2], NULL);
 	bdev[6] = allocate_vbdev("bdev6", bdev[2], NULL);
 
@@ -234,14 +247,16 @@ open_write_test(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(desc[0] != NULL);
 	spdk_bdev_close(desc[0]);
 
-	/* Open bdev1 read/write.  This should succeed. */
+	/*
+	 * Open bdev1 read/write.  This should fail since bdev1 has been claimed
+	 * by a vbdev module.
+	 */
 	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev[1], true, NULL, NULL, &desc[1]);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(desc[1] != NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == -EPERM);
 
 	/*
-	 * Open bdev3 read/write.  This should fail, since one of its
-	 * base bdevs have been explicitly opened read/write.
+	 * Open bdev3 read/write.  This should fail since bdev3 has been claimed
+	 * by a vbdev module.
 	 */
 	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev[3], true, NULL, NULL, &desc[3]);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == -EPERM);
@@ -253,31 +268,17 @@ open_write_test(void)
 	spdk_bdev_close(desc[3]);
 
 	/*
-	 * Open bdev7 read/write.  This should fail, since one of its
-	 * base bdevs have been explicitly opened read/write.  This
-	 * test ensures the bdev code traverses through multiple levels
-	 * of base bdevs.
+	 * Open bdev7 read/write.  This should succeed since it is a leaf
+	 * bdev.
 	 */
 	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev[7], true, NULL, NULL, &desc[7]);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == -EPERM);
-
-	/* Open bdev7 read-only.  This should succeed. */
-	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev[7], false, NULL, NULL, &desc[7]);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(desc[7] != NULL);
 	spdk_bdev_close(desc[7]);
 
-	/* Reset tree by closing remaining descriptors. */
-	spdk_bdev_close(desc[1]);
-
-	/* Open bdev7 read/write.  This should succeed. */
-	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev[7], true, NULL, NULL, &desc[7]);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(desc[7] != NULL);
-
 	/*
-	 * Open bdev4 read/write.  This should fail, since one of its
-	 * virtual bdevs has been explicitly opened read/write.
+	 * Open bdev4 read/write.  This should fail since bdev4 has been claimed
+	 * by a vbdev module.
 	 */
 	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev[4], true, NULL, NULL, &desc[4]);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == -EPERM);
@@ -288,24 +289,6 @@ open_write_test(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(desc[4] != NULL);
 	spdk_bdev_close(desc[4]);
 
-	/*
-	 * Open bdev2 read/write.  This should fail, since one of its
-	 * virtual bdevs has been explicitly opened read/write.  This
-	 * test ensures the bdev code traverses through multiple levels
-	 * of virtual bdevs.
-	 */
-	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev[2], true, NULL, NULL, &desc[2]);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == -EPERM);
-
-	/* Open bdev2 read-only.  This should succeed. */
-	rc = spdk_bdev_open(bdev[2], false, NULL, NULL, &desc[2]);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(desc[2] != NULL);
-	spdk_bdev_close(desc[2]);
-
-	/* Reset tree by closing remaining descriptors. */
-	spdk_bdev_close(desc[7]);
-
 	free_vbdev(bdev[7]);
 
 	free_vbdev(bdev[3]);