diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost.c b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
index acde6c8a5..415d532fe 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
@@ -890,23 +890,18 @@ vhost_get_poll_group(struct spdk_cpuset *cpumask)
 	}
 
 	assert(selected_pg != NULL);
-	assert(selected_pg->ref < UINT_MAX);
-	selected_pg->ref++;
 	return selected_pg;
 }
 
-void
-vhost_put_poll_group(struct vhost_poll_group *pg)
-{
-	assert(pg->ref > 0);
-	pg->ref--;
-}
-
 void
 vhost_session_start_done(struct spdk_vhost_session *vsession, int response)
 {
 	if (response == 0) {
 		vsession->started = true;
+		assert(vsession->poll_group != NULL);
+		assert(vsession->poll_group->ref < UINT_MAX);
+		vsession->poll_group->ref++;
+
 		assert(vsession->vdev->active_session_num < UINT32_MAX);
 		vsession->vdev->active_session_num++;
 	}
@@ -920,6 +915,11 @@ vhost_session_stop_done(struct spdk_vhost_session *vsession, int response)
 {
 	if (response == 0) {
 		vsession->started = false;
+		assert(vsession->poll_group != NULL);
+		assert(vsession->poll_group->ref > 0);
+		vsession->poll_group->ref--;
+		vsession->poll_group = NULL;
+
 		assert(vsession->vdev->active_session_num > 0);
 		vsession->vdev->active_session_num--;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost_blk.c b/lib/vhost/vhost_blk.c
index 13a51e1ab..7e5b377af 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost_blk.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost_blk.c
@@ -712,17 +712,10 @@ static int
 vhost_blk_start(struct spdk_vhost_session *vsession)
 {
 	struct vhost_poll_group *pg;
-	int rc;
 
 	pg = vhost_get_poll_group(vsession->vdev->cpumask);
-	rc = vhost_session_send_event(pg, vsession, vhost_blk_start_cb,
-				      3, "start session");
-
-	if (rc != 0) {
-		vhost_put_poll_group(pg);
-	}
-
-	return rc;
+	return vhost_session_send_event(pg, vsession, vhost_blk_start_cb,
+					3, "start session");
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost_nvme.c b/lib/vhost/vhost_nvme.c
index 0da4079a1..de07ad5f6 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost_nvme.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost_nvme.c
@@ -1114,7 +1114,6 @@ static int
 spdk_vhost_nvme_start(struct spdk_vhost_session *vsession)
 {
 	struct vhost_poll_group *pg;
-	int rc;
 
 	if (vsession->vdev->active_session_num > 0) {
 		/* We're trying to start a second session */
@@ -1123,14 +1122,8 @@ spdk_vhost_nvme_start(struct spdk_vhost_session *vsession)
 	}
 
 	pg = vhost_get_poll_group(vsession->vdev->cpumask);
-	rc = vhost_session_send_event(pg, vsession, spdk_vhost_nvme_start_cb,
-				      3, "start session");
-
-	if (rc != 0) {
-		vhost_put_poll_group(pg);
-	}
-
-	return rc;
+	return vhost_session_send_event(pg, vsession, spdk_vhost_nvme_start_cb,
+					3, "start session");
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c b/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
index 08caaa530..3a0c043ba 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost_scsi.c
@@ -1358,7 +1358,6 @@ vhost_scsi_start(struct spdk_vhost_session *vsession)
 				      3, "start session");
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		if (svdev->vdev.active_session_num == 0) {
-			vhost_put_poll_group(svdev->poll_group);
 			svdev->poll_group = NULL;
 		}
 	}
@@ -1459,7 +1458,6 @@ vhost_scsi_stop(struct spdk_vhost_session *vsession)
 	}
 
 	if (vsession->vdev->active_session_num == 0) {
-		vhost_put_poll_group(svsession->svdev->poll_group);
 		svsession->svdev->poll_group = NULL;
 	}
 	return 0;