diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f2b4b3627..45d16c271 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 
 ## v18.04: (Upcoming Release)
 
+### Bdev
+
+Add new optional bdev module interface function, init_complete, to notify bdev modules
+when the bdev subsystem initialization is complete. Useful for virtual bdevs that require
+notification that the set of initialization examine() calls is complete.
+
 ### RPC
 
 The Rpc configuration file section, which was deprecated in v18.01, has been removed.
diff --git a/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h b/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
index 882e9b275..48e0ccd84 100644
--- a/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
+++ b/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
@@ -86,6 +86,14 @@ struct spdk_bdev_module {
 	 */
 	int (*module_init)(void);
 
+	/**
+	 * Optional callback for modules that require notification of when
+	 * the bdev subsystem has completed initialization.
+	 *
+	 * Modules are not required to define this function.
+	 */
+	void (*init_complete)(void);
+
 	/**
 	 * Finish function for the module.  Called by the spdk application
 	 * before the spdk application exits to perform any necessary cleanup.
diff --git a/lib/bdev/bdev.c b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
index c19334e98..9d7c0fdf1 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/bdev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
@@ -517,6 +517,16 @@ spdk_bdev_module_action_complete(void)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * For modules that need to know when subsystem init is complete,
+	 * inform them now.
+	 */
+	TAILQ_FOREACH(m, &g_bdev_mgr.bdev_modules, tailq) {
+		if (m->init_complete) {
+			m->init_complete();
+		}
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Modules already finished initialization - now that all
 	 * the bdev modules have finished their asynchronous I/O
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/mt/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/mt/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
index f98e5b3a3..91d8fae9d 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/mt/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/mt/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ struct spdk_bdev_desc *g_desc;
 bool g_teardown_done = false;
 bool g_get_io_channel = true;
 bool g_create_ch = true;
+bool g_init_complete_called = false;
 
 static int
 stub_create_ch(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
@@ -191,10 +192,17 @@ module_fini(void)
 {
 }
 
+static void
+init_complete(void)
+{
+	g_init_complete_called = true;
+}
+
 struct spdk_bdev_module bdev_ut_if = {
 	.name = "bdev_ut",
 	.module_init = module_init,
 	.module_fini = module_fini,
+	.init_complete = init_complete,
 };
 
 SPDK_BDEV_MODULE_REGISTER(&bdev_ut_if)
@@ -281,7 +289,9 @@ bdev_io_tailq_cnt(bdev_io_tailq_t *tailq)
 static void
 basic(void)
 {
+	g_init_complete_called = false;
 	setup_test();
+	CU_ASSERT(g_init_complete_called == true);
 
 	set_thread(0);