diff --git a/include/spdk/scsi.h b/include/spdk/scsi.h
index a26ec1744..7613df504 100644
--- a/include/spdk/scsi.h
+++ b/include/spdk/scsi.h
@@ -212,6 +212,9 @@ struct spdk_scsi_lun {
 	 */
 	pthread_t thread_id;
 
+	/**  The reference number for this LUN, thus we can correctly free the io_channel */
+	uint32_t ref;
+
 	/** Name for this LUN. */
 	char name[SPDK_SCSI_LUN_MAX_NAME_LENGTH];
 
diff --git a/lib/scsi/lun.c b/lib/scsi/lun.c
index abc268a12..79914a391 100644
--- a/lib/scsi/lun.c
+++ b/lib/scsi/lun.c
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ int spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
 	if (lun->io_channel != NULL) {
 		if (pthread_self() == lun->thread_id) {
+			lun->ref++;
 			return 0;
 		}
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("io_channel already allocated for lun %s\n", lun->name);
@@ -406,13 +407,17 @@ int spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 		return -1;
 	}
 	lun->thread_id = pthread_self();
+	lun->ref = 1;
 	return 0;
 }
 
 void spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
 	if (lun->io_channel != NULL) {
-		spdk_put_io_channel(lun->io_channel);
-		lun->io_channel = NULL;
+		lun->ref--;
+		if (lun->ref == 0) {
+			spdk_put_io_channel(lun->io_channel);
+			lun->io_channel = NULL;
+		}
 	}
 }