diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index a6d1fd104..04c7ad672 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_identify_ns(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 	struct spdk_nvmf_ns *ns;
 
 	ns = _spdk_nvmf_subsystem_get_ns(subsystem, cmd->nsid);
-	if (ns == NULL || ns->bdev == NULL || ns->is_removed) {
+	if (ns == NULL || ns->bdev == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Identify Namespace for invalid NSID %u\n", cmd->nsid);
 		rsp->status.sc = SPDK_NVME_SC_INVALID_NAMESPACE_OR_FORMAT;
 		return SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE;
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_identify_active_ns_list(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 
 	for (ns = spdk_nvmf_subsystem_get_first_ns(subsystem); ns != NULL;
 	     ns = spdk_nvmf_subsystem_get_next_ns(subsystem, ns)) {
-		if (ns->id <= cmd->nsid || ns->is_removed) {
+		if (ns->id <= cmd->nsid) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_bdev.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_bdev.c
index 4ae1fee57..65bb2e50f 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_bdev.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_bdev.c
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_process_io_cmd(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 	}
 
 	ns = _spdk_nvmf_subsystem_get_ns(ctrlr->subsys, nsid);
-	if (ns == NULL || ns->bdev == NULL || ns->is_removed) {
+	if (ns == NULL || ns->bdev == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unsuccessful query for nsid %u\n", cmd->nsid);
 		response->status.sc = SPDK_NVME_SC_INVALID_NAMESPACE_OR_FORMAT;
 		response->status.dnr = 1;
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
index 4fb29ca78..274768480 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_ns {
 	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc;
 	uint32_t id;
 	bool allocated;
-	bool is_removed;
 };
 
 enum spdk_nvmf_qpair_type {
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
index 7de06e5ef..6b7d3dd4d 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
@@ -710,6 +710,9 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_remove_ns(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem, uint32_t ns
 {
 	struct spdk_nvmf_ns *ns;
 
+	assert(subsystem->state == SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_PAUSED ||
+	       subsystem->state == SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_INACTIVE);
+
 	if (nsid == 0 || nsid > subsystem->max_nsid) {
 		return -1;
 	}
@@ -727,22 +730,26 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_remove_ns(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem, uint32_t ns
 }
 
 static void
-_spdk_nvmf_ns_hot_remove(void *ctx)
+_spdk_nvmf_ns_hot_remove(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
+			 void *cb_arg, int status)
 {
-	struct spdk_nvmf_ns *ns = ctx;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_ns *ns = cb_arg;
 
 	spdk_nvmf_subsystem_remove_ns(ns->subsystem, ns->id);
+
+	spdk_nvmf_subsystem_resume(subsystem, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
 static void
 spdk_nvmf_ns_hot_remove(void *remove_ctx)
 {
 	struct spdk_nvmf_ns *ns = remove_ctx;
+	int rc;
 
-	ns->is_removed = true;
-	spdk_thread_send_msg(ns->subsystem->tgt->master_thread,
-			     _spdk_nvmf_ns_hot_remove,
-			     ns);
+	rc = spdk_nvmf_subsystem_pause(ns->subsystem, _spdk_nvmf_ns_hot_remove, ns);
+	if (rc) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to pause subsystem to process namespace removal!\n");
+	}
 }
 
 uint32_t