diff --git a/lib/util/io_channel.c b/lib/util/io_channel.c
index 46b208367..1e14b8869 100644
--- a/lib/util/io_channel.c
+++ b/lib/util/io_channel.c
@@ -404,7 +404,6 @@ struct call_channel {
 	void *ctx;
 
 	struct spdk_thread *cur_thread;
-	struct spdk_io_channel *cur_ch;
 
 	struct spdk_thread *orig_thread;
 	spdk_channel_for_each_cpl cpl;
@@ -429,9 +428,22 @@ _call_channel(void *ctx)
 	struct spdk_io_channel *ch;
 
 	thread = ch_ctx->cur_thread;
-	ch = ch_ctx->cur_ch;
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&g_devlist_mutex);
+	TAILQ_FOREACH(ch, &thread->io_channels, tailq) {
+		if (ch->dev->io_device == ch_ctx->io_device) {
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_devlist_mutex);
 
-	ch_ctx->fn(ch_ctx->io_device, ch, ch_ctx->ctx);
+	/*
+	 * It is possible that the channel was deleted before this
+	 *  message had a chance to execute.  If so, skip calling
+	 *  the fn() on this thread.
+	 */
+	if (ch != NULL) {
+		ch_ctx->fn(ch_ctx->io_device, ch, ch_ctx->ctx);
+	}
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&g_devlist_mutex);
 	thread = TAILQ_NEXT(thread, tailq);
@@ -439,7 +451,6 @@ _call_channel(void *ctx)
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(ch, &thread->io_channels, tailq) {
 			if (ch->dev->io_device == ch_ctx->io_device) {
 				ch_ctx->cur_thread = thread;
-				ch_ctx->cur_ch = ch;
 				pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_devlist_mutex);
 				spdk_thread_send_msg(thread, _call_channel, ch_ctx);
 				return;
@@ -479,7 +490,6 @@ spdk_for_each_channel(void *io_device, spdk_channel_msg fn, void *ctx,
 		TAILQ_FOREACH(ch, &thread->io_channels, tailq) {
 			if (ch->dev->io_device == io_device) {
 				ch_ctx->cur_thread = thread;
-				ch_ctx->cur_ch = ch;
 				pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_devlist_mutex);
 				spdk_thread_send_msg(thread, _call_channel, ch_ctx);
 				return;
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/util/io_channel.c/io_channel_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/util/io_channel.c/io_channel_ut.c
index c23d614f3..5afd0b12a 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/util/io_channel.c/io_channel_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/util/io_channel.c/io_channel_ut.c
@@ -97,6 +97,79 @@ thread_send_msg(void)
 	free_threads();
 }
 
+static int
+channel_create(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
+{
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void
+channel_destroy(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
+{
+}
+
+static void
+channel_msg(void *io_device, struct spdk_io_channel *ch, void *ctx)
+{
+	int *count = spdk_io_channel_get_ctx(ch);
+
+	(*count)++;
+}
+
+static void
+channel_cpl(void *io_device, void *ctx)
+{
+}
+
+static void
+for_each_channel_remove(void)
+{
+	struct spdk_io_channel *ch0, *ch1, *ch2;
+	int io_target;
+	int count = 0;
+
+	allocate_threads(3);
+	spdk_io_device_register(&io_target, channel_create, channel_destroy, sizeof(int));
+	set_thread(0);
+	ch0 = spdk_get_io_channel(&io_target);
+	set_thread(1);
+	ch1 = spdk_get_io_channel(&io_target);
+	set_thread(2);
+	ch2 = spdk_get_io_channel(&io_target);
+
+	/*
+	 * Test that io_channel handles the case where we start to iterate through
+	 *  the channels, and during the iteration, one of the channels is deleted.
+	 * This is done in some different and sometimes non-intuitive orders, because
+	 *  some operations are deferred and won't execute until their threads are
+	 *  polled.
+	 *
+	 * Case #1: Put the I/O channel before spdk_for_each_channel.
+	 */
+	set_thread(0);
+	spdk_put_io_channel(ch0);
+	spdk_for_each_channel(&io_target, channel_msg, &count, channel_cpl);
+	poll_threads();
+
+	/*
+	 * Case #2: Put the I/O channel after spdk_for_each_channel, but before
+	 *  thread 0 is polled.
+	 */
+	ch0 = spdk_get_io_channel(&io_target);
+	spdk_for_each_channel(&io_target, channel_msg, &count, channel_cpl);
+	spdk_put_io_channel(ch0);
+	poll_threads();
+
+	set_thread(1);
+	spdk_put_io_channel(ch1);
+	set_thread(2);
+	spdk_put_io_channel(ch2);
+	spdk_io_device_unregister(&io_target, NULL);
+	poll_threads();
+
+	free_threads();
+}
+
 static void
 thread_name(void)
 {
@@ -244,6 +317,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (
 		CU_add_test(suite, "thread_alloc", thread_alloc) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "thread_send_msg", thread_send_msg) == NULL ||
+		CU_add_test(suite, "for_each_channel_remove", for_each_channel_remove) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "thread_name", thread_name) == NULL ||
 		CU_add_test(suite, "channel", channel) == NULL
 	) {