diff --git a/lib/blob/blobstore.c b/lib/blob/blobstore.c
index 62998fa6a..da215ad5d 100644
--- a/lib/blob/blobstore.c
+++ b/lib/blob/blobstore.c
@@ -2320,6 +2320,12 @@ spdk_bs_unload(struct spdk_blob_store *bs, spdk_bs_op_complete cb_fn, void *cb_a
 
 	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_TRACE_BLOB, "Syncing blobstore\n");
 
+	if (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&bs->blobs)) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Blobstore still has open blobs\n");
+		cb_fn(cb_arg, -EBUSY);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	ctx = calloc(1, sizeof(*ctx));
 	if (!ctx) {
 		cb_fn(cb_arg, -ENOMEM);
@@ -2347,8 +2353,6 @@ spdk_bs_unload(struct spdk_blob_store *bs, spdk_bs_op_complete cb_fn, void *cb_a
 		return;
 	}
 
-	assert(TAILQ_EMPTY(&bs->blobs));
-
 	/* Read super block */
 	spdk_bs_sequence_read(seq, ctx->super, _spdk_bs_page_to_lba(bs, 0),
 			      _spdk_bs_byte_to_lba(bs, sizeof(*ctx->super)),
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/blob/blob.c/blob_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/blob/blob.c/blob_ut.c
index 5c3aa937d..562af8119 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/blob/blob.c/blob_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/blob/blob.c/blob_ut.c
@@ -1112,12 +1112,41 @@ static void
 bs_unload(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev *dev;
+	struct spdk_blob_store *bs;
+	spdk_blob_id blobid;
+	struct spdk_blob *blob;
 
 	dev = init_dev();
 
 	spdk_bs_init(dev, NULL, bs_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_bserrno == 0);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_bs != NULL);
+	bs = g_bs;
+
+	/* Create a blob and open it. */
+	g_bserrno = -1;
+	spdk_bs_md_create_blob(bs, blob_op_with_id_complete, NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(g_bserrno == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(g_blobid > 0);
+	blobid = g_blobid;
+
+	g_bserrno = -1;
+	spdk_bs_md_open_blob(bs, blobid, blob_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(g_bserrno == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(g_blob != NULL);
+	blob = g_blob;
+
+	/* Try to unload blobstore, should fail with open blob */
+	g_bserrno = -1;
+	spdk_bs_unload(bs, bs_op_complete, NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(g_bserrno == -EBUSY);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_bs != NULL);
+
+	/* Close the blob, then successfully unload blobstore */
+	g_bserrno = -1;
+	spdk_bs_md_close_blob(&blob, blob_op_complete, NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(g_bserrno == 0);
+	CU_ASSERT(blob == NULL);
 
 	g_bserrno = -1;
 	spdk_bs_unload(g_bs, bs_op_complete, NULL);