diff --git a/lib/bdev/bdev.c b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
index 6f0ecc89a..61f813656 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/bdev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
@@ -8122,7 +8122,7 @@ spdk_bdev_module_claim_bdev_desc(struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc, enum spdk_bdev_cla
 				 struct spdk_bdev_claim_opts *_opts,
 				 struct spdk_bdev_module *module)
 {
-	struct spdk_bdev *bdev = desc->bdev;
+	struct spdk_bdev *bdev;
 	struct spdk_bdev_claim_opts opts;
 	int rc = 0;
 
@@ -8131,6 +8131,8 @@ spdk_bdev_module_claim_bdev_desc(struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc, enum spdk_bdev_cla
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	bdev = desc->bdev;
+
 	if (_opts == NULL) {
 		spdk_bdev_claim_opts_init(&opts, sizeof(opts));
 	} else if (claim_opts_copy(_opts, &opts) != 0) {