diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/bdev_virtio.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/bdev_virtio.c
index b276ab6fb..4c479d2d9 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/bdev_virtio.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/bdev_virtio.c
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ struct virtio_scsi_io_ctx {
 
 struct virtio_scsi_scan_base {
 	struct virtio_dev		*vdev;
-	struct spdk_bdev_poller		*scan_poller;
+
+	/** Virtqueue used for the scan I/O. */
+	struct virtqueue		*vq;
 
 	/* Currently queried target */
 	unsigned			target;
@@ -94,7 +96,9 @@ struct virtio_scsi_disk {
 
 struct bdev_virtio_io_channel {
 	struct virtio_dev	*vdev;
-	struct spdk_bdev_poller	*poller;
+
+	/** Virtqueue exclusively assigned to this channel. */
+	struct virtqueue	*vq;
 };
 
 static void scan_target(struct virtio_scsi_scan_base *base);
@@ -144,6 +148,7 @@ bdev_virtio_rw(struct spdk_io_channel *ch, struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
 	struct virtio_scsi_disk *disk = SPDK_CONTAINEROF(bdev_io->bdev, struct virtio_scsi_disk, bdev);
 	struct virtio_req *vreq = bdev_virtio_init_io_vreq(ch, bdev_io);
 	struct virtio_scsi_cmd_req *req = vreq->iov_req.iov_base;
+	struct bdev_virtio_io_channel *virtio_channel = spdk_io_channel_get_ctx(ch);
 
 	vreq->iov = bdev_io->u.bdev.iovs;
 	vreq->iovcnt = bdev_io->u.bdev.iovcnt;
@@ -158,15 +163,15 @@ bdev_virtio_rw(struct spdk_io_channel *ch, struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
 		to_be16(&req->cdb[7], bdev_io->u.bdev.num_blocks);
 	}
 
-	virtio_xmit_pkts(disk->vdev->vqs[2], vreq);
+	virtio_xmit_pkts(virtio_channel->vq, vreq);
 }
 
 static void
 bdev_virtio_unmap(struct spdk_io_channel *ch, struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
 {
-	struct virtio_scsi_disk *disk = SPDK_CONTAINEROF(bdev_io->bdev, struct virtio_scsi_disk, bdev);
 	struct virtio_req *vreq = bdev_virtio_init_io_vreq(ch, bdev_io);
 	struct virtio_scsi_cmd_req *req = vreq->iov_req.iov_base;
+	struct bdev_virtio_io_channel *virtio_channel = spdk_io_channel_get_ctx(ch);
 	struct spdk_scsi_unmap_bdesc *desc, *first_desc;
 	uint8_t *buf;
 	uint64_t offset_blocks, num_blocks;
@@ -206,7 +211,7 @@ bdev_virtio_unmap(struct spdk_io_channel *ch, struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
 	to_be16(&buf[2], cmd_len - 8); /* length of block descriptors */
 	memset(&buf[4], 0, 4); /* reserved */
 
-	virtio_xmit_pkts(disk->vdev->vqs[2], vreq);
+	virtio_xmit_pkts(virtio_channel->vq, vreq);
 }
 
 static int _bdev_virtio_submit_request(struct spdk_io_channel *ch, struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io)
@@ -331,7 +336,7 @@ bdev_virtio_poll(void *arg)
 	struct virtio_req *req[32];
 	uint16_t i, cnt;
 
-	cnt = virtio_recv_pkts(ch->vdev->vqs[2], req, SPDK_COUNTOF(req));
+	cnt = virtio_recv_pkts(ch->vq, req, SPDK_COUNTOF(req));
 	for (i = 0; i < cnt; ++i) {
 		bdev_virtio_io_cpl(req[i]);
 	}
@@ -340,12 +345,26 @@ bdev_virtio_poll(void *arg)
 static int
 bdev_virtio_create_cb(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
 {
-	struct virtio_dev **vdev = io_device;
+	struct virtio_dev **vdev_ptr = io_device;
+	struct virtio_dev *vdev = *vdev_ptr;
 	struct bdev_virtio_io_channel *ch = ctx_buf;
+	struct virtqueue *vq;
+	int32_t queue_idx;
+
+	queue_idx = virtio_dev_find_and_acquire_queue(vdev, 2);
+	if (queue_idx < 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Couldn't get an unused queue for the io_channel.\n");
+		return queue_idx;
+	}
+
+	vq = vdev->vqs[queue_idx];
+
+	ch->vdev = vdev;
+	ch->vq = vq;
+
+	spdk_bdev_poller_start(&vq->poller, bdev_virtio_poll, ch,
+			       vq->owner_lcore, 0);
 
-	ch->vdev = *vdev;
-	spdk_bdev_poller_start(&ch->poller, bdev_virtio_poll, ch,
-			       spdk_env_get_current_core(), 0);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -353,8 +372,11 @@ static void
 bdev_virtio_destroy_cb(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
 {
 	struct bdev_virtio_io_channel *io_channel = ctx_buf;
+	struct virtio_dev *vdev = io_channel->vdev;
+	struct virtqueue *vq = io_channel->vq;
 
-	spdk_bdev_poller_stop(&io_channel->poller);
+	spdk_bdev_poller_stop(&vq->poller);
+	virtio_dev_release_queue(vdev, vq->vq_queue_index);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -368,7 +390,8 @@ scan_target_finish(struct virtio_scsi_scan_base *base)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	spdk_bdev_poller_stop(&base->scan_poller);
+	spdk_bdev_poller_stop(&base->vq->poller);
+	virtio_dev_release_queue(base->vdev, base->vq->vq_queue_index);
 
 	while ((disk = TAILQ_FIRST(&base->found_disks))) {
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(&base->found_disks, disk, link);
@@ -400,7 +423,7 @@ send_read_cap_10(struct virtio_scsi_scan_base *base, uint8_t target_id, struct v
 	iov[0].iov_len = 8;
 	req->cdb[0] = SPDK_SBC_READ_CAPACITY_10;
 
-	virtio_xmit_pkts(base->vdev->vqs[2], vreq);
+	virtio_xmit_pkts(base->vq, vreq);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -418,7 +441,7 @@ send_read_cap_16(struct virtio_scsi_scan_base *base, uint8_t target_id, struct v
 	req->cdb[1] = SPDK_SBC_SAI_READ_CAPACITY_16;
 	to_be32(&req->cdb[10], iov[0].iov_len);
 
-	virtio_xmit_pkts(base->vdev->vqs[2], vreq);
+	virtio_xmit_pkts(base->vq, vreq);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -556,7 +579,7 @@ bdev_scan_poll(void *arg)
 	struct virtio_req *req;
 	uint16_t cnt;
 
-	cnt = virtio_recv_pkts(base->vdev->vqs[2], &req, 1);
+	cnt = virtio_recv_pkts(base->vq, &req, 1);
 	if (cnt > 0) {
 		process_scan_resp(base, req);
 	}
@@ -596,7 +619,7 @@ scan_target(struct virtio_scsi_scan_base *base)
 	cdb->opcode = SPDK_SPC_INQUIRY;
 	cdb->alloc_len[1] = 255;
 
-	virtio_xmit_pkts(base->vdev->vqs[2], vreq);
+	virtio_xmit_pkts(base->vq, vreq);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -606,6 +629,7 @@ bdev_virtio_process_config(void)
 	struct virtio_dev *vdev = NULL;
 	char *path;
 	unsigned vdev_num;
+	int num_queues;
 	bool enable_pci;
 	int rc = 0;
 
@@ -628,7 +652,12 @@ bdev_virtio_process_config(void)
 			goto out;
 		}
 
-		vdev = virtio_user_dev_init(path, 512);
+		num_queues = spdk_conf_section_get_intval(sp, "Queues");
+		if (num_queues < 1) {
+			num_queues = 1;
+		}
+
+		vdev = virtio_user_dev_init(path, num_queues + 2, 512);
 		if (vdev == NULL) {
 			rc = -1;
 			goto out;
@@ -659,6 +688,7 @@ bdev_virtio_initialize(void)
 {
 	struct virtio_scsi_scan_base *base;
 	struct virtio_dev *vdev = NULL;
+	struct virtqueue *vq;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	rc = bdev_virtio_process_config();
@@ -692,9 +722,16 @@ bdev_virtio_initialize(void)
 		base->vdev = vdev;
 		TAILQ_INIT(&base->found_disks);
 
-		spdk_bdev_poller_start(&base->scan_poller, bdev_scan_poll, base,
-				       spdk_env_get_current_core(), 0);
+		rc = virtio_dev_acquire_queue(vdev, 2);
+		if (rc != 0) {
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Couldn't acquire requestq for the target scan.\n");
+			goto out;
+		}
 
+		vq = vdev->vqs[2];
+		base->vq = vq;
+		spdk_bdev_poller_start(&vq->poller, bdev_scan_poll, base,
+				       vq->owner_lcore, 0);
 		scan_target(base);
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.c
index 1da8350da..e7873ef55 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.c
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ virtio_init_queue(struct virtio_dev *dev, uint16_t vtpci_queue_idx)
 
 	vq->mz = mz;
 
+	vq->owner_lcore = SPDK_VIRTIO_QUEUE_LCORE_ID_UNUSED;
+	vq->poller = NULL;
+
 	if (vtpci_ops(dev)->setup_queue(dev, vq) < 0) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("setup_queue failed\n");
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -276,13 +279,6 @@ virtio_dev_init(struct virtio_dev *dev, uint64_t req_features)
 	if (virtio_negotiate_features(dev, req_features) < 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	/* FIXME
-	 * Hardcode num_queues to 3 until we add proper
-	 * mutli-queue support. This value should be limited
-	 * by number of cores assigned to SPDK
-	 */
-	dev->max_queues = 3;
-
 	ret = virtio_alloc_queues(dev);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
@@ -532,4 +528,78 @@ virtio_xmit_pkts(struct virtqueue *vq, struct virtio_req *req)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+int
+virtio_dev_acquire_queue(struct virtio_dev *vdev, uint16_t index)
+{
+	struct virtqueue *vq = NULL;
+
+	if (index >= vdev->max_queues) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("requested vq index %"PRIu16" exceeds max queue count %"PRIu16".\n",
+			    index, vdev->max_queues);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&vdev->mutex);
+	vq = vdev->vqs[index];
+	if (vq == NULL || vq->owner_lcore != SPDK_VIRTIO_QUEUE_LCORE_ID_UNUSED) {
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&vdev->mutex);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	assert(vq->poller == NULL);
+	vq->owner_lcore = spdk_env_get_current_core();
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&vdev->mutex);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int32_t
+virtio_dev_find_and_acquire_queue(struct virtio_dev *vdev, uint16_t start_index)
+{
+	struct virtqueue *vq = NULL;
+	uint16_t i;
+
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&vdev->mutex);
+	for (i = start_index; i < vdev->max_queues; ++i) {
+		vq = vdev->vqs[i];
+		if (vq != NULL && vq->owner_lcore == SPDK_VIRTIO_QUEUE_LCORE_ID_UNUSED) {
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (vq == NULL || i == vdev->max_queues) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("no more unused virtio queues with idx >= %"PRIu16".\n", start_index);
+		pthread_mutex_unlock(&vdev->mutex);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	assert(vq->poller == NULL);
+	vq->owner_lcore = spdk_env_get_current_core();
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&vdev->mutex);
+	return i;
+}
+
+void
+virtio_dev_release_queue(struct virtio_dev *vdev, uint16_t index)
+{
+	struct virtqueue *vq = NULL;
+
+	if (index >= vdev->max_queues) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("given vq index %"PRIu16" exceeds max queue count %"PRIu16".\n",
+			    index, vdev->max_queues);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&vdev->mutex);
+	vq = vdev->vqs[index];
+	if (vq == NULL) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("virtqueue at index %"PRIu16" is not initialized.\n", index);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	assert(vq->poller == NULL);
+	assert(vq->owner_lcore == spdk_env_get_current_core());
+	vq->owner_lcore = SPDK_VIRTIO_QUEUE_LCORE_ID_UNUSED;
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&vdev->mutex);
+}
+
 SPDK_LOG_REGISTER_TRACE_FLAG("virtio_dev", SPDK_TRACE_VIRTIO_DEV)
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.h b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.h
index 61f56a091..7540bd4c3 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.h
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_dev.h
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@
  */
 #define VQ_RING_DESC_CHAIN_END 32768
 
+/* This is a work-around for fio-plugin bug, where each
+ * fio job thread returns local lcore id = -1
+ */
+#define SPDK_VIRTIO_QUEUE_LCORE_ID_UNUSED (UINT32_MAX - 1)
+
 struct virtio_dev {
 	struct virtqueue **vqs;
 	uint16_t	started;
@@ -85,6 +90,9 @@ struct virtio_dev {
 	/** Modern/legacy virtio device flag. */
 	uint8_t		modern;
 
+	/** Mutex for asynchronous virtqueue-changing operations. */
+	pthread_mutex_t	mutex;
+
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(virtio_dev) tailq;
 };
 
@@ -128,6 +136,12 @@ struct virtqueue {
 	uint16_t  vq_queue_index;   /**< PCI queue index */
 	uint16_t  *notify_addr;
 
+	/** Logical CPU ID that's polling this queue. */
+	uint32_t owner_lcore;
+
+	/** Response poller. */
+	struct spdk_bdev_poller	*poller;
+
 	struct vq_desc_extra vq_descx[0];
 };
 
@@ -212,4 +226,40 @@ virtqueue_kick_prepare(struct virtqueue *vq)
 	return !(vq->vq_ring.used->flags & VRING_USED_F_NO_NOTIFY);
 }
 
+/**
+ * Bind a virtqueue with given index to the current CPU core.
+ *
+ * This function is thread-safe.
+ *
+ * \param vdev vhost device
+ * \param index virtqueue index
+ * \return 0 on success, -1 in case a virtqueue with given index either
+ * does not exists or is already acquired.
+ */
+int virtio_dev_acquire_queue(struct virtio_dev *vdev, uint16_t index);
+
+/**
+ * Look for unused queue and bind it to the current CPU core.  This will
+ * scan the queues in range from *start_index* (inclusive) up to
+ * vdev->max_queues (exclusive).
+ *
+ * This function is thread-safe.
+ *
+ * \param vdev vhost device
+ * \param start_index virtqueue index to start looking from
+ * \return index of acquired queue or -1 in case no unused queue in given range
+ * has been found
+ */
+int32_t virtio_dev_find_and_acquire_queue(struct virtio_dev *vdev, uint16_t start_index);
+
+/**
+ * Release previously acquired queue.
+ *
+ * This function must be called from the thread that acquired the queue.
+ *
+ * \param vdev vhost device
+ * \param index index of virtqueue to release
+ */
+void virtio_dev_release_queue(struct virtio_dev *vdev, uint16_t index);
+
 #endif /* _VIRTIO_DEV_H_ */
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.c
index ba5ef5a58..5c2475e2a 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_pci.c
@@ -714,6 +714,7 @@ vtpci_init(struct virtio_dev *vdev, const struct virtio_pci_ops *ops)
 	}
 
 	vdev->id = vdev_num;
+	pthread_mutex_init(&vdev->mutex, NULL);
 	g_virtio_driver.internal[vdev_num].vtpci_ops = ops;
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
index 11b20538b..cd6d4eadb 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ virtio_user_dev_setup(struct virtio_user_dev *dev)
 }
 
 struct virtio_dev *
-virtio_user_dev_init(char *path, int queue_size)
+virtio_user_dev_init(char *path, uint16_t requested_queues, uint32_t queue_size)
 {
 	struct virtio_dev *vdev;
 	struct virtio_user_dev *dev;
@@ -206,12 +206,13 @@ virtio_user_dev_init(char *path, int queue_size)
 		goto err;
 	}
 
-	if (max_queues >= VIRTIO_MAX_VIRTQUEUES) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("invalid get_queue_num value: %"PRIu64"\n", max_queues);
+	if (requested_queues > max_queues) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("requested %"PRIu16" queues but only %"PRIu64" available\n",
+			     requested_queues, max_queues);
 		goto err;
 	}
 
-	vdev->max_queues = max_queues;
+	vdev->max_queues = requested_queues;
 
 	if (dev->ops->send_request(dev, VHOST_USER_SET_OWNER, NULL) < 0) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("set_owner fails: %s\n", strerror(errno));
diff --git a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
index af218302e..cec72756d 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
+++ b/lib/bdev/virtio/rte_virtio/virtio_user/virtio_user_dev.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ struct virtio_user_dev {
 
 int virtio_user_start_device(struct virtio_user_dev *dev);
 int virtio_user_stop_device(struct virtio_user_dev *dev);
-struct virtio_dev *virtio_user_dev_init(char *path, int queue_size);
+struct virtio_dev *virtio_user_dev_init(char *path,  uint16_t requested_queues, uint32_t queue_size);
 void virtio_user_dev_uninit(struct virtio_user_dev *dev);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/test/vhost/initiator/bdev.conf.in b/test/vhost/initiator/bdev.conf.in
index 971cfc9ff..fb159980d 100644
--- a/test/vhost/initiator/bdev.conf.in
+++ b/test/vhost/initiator/bdev.conf.in
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 [VirtioUser0]
   Path /tmp/vhost.0
+  Queues 16
 
 [Rpc]
   Enable Yes