diff --git a/include/spdk/scsi.h b/include/spdk/scsi.h
index 33bada6d7..fc05232e9 100644
--- a/include/spdk/scsi.h
+++ b/include/spdk/scsi.h
@@ -147,6 +147,9 @@ struct spdk_scsi_task {
 struct spdk_scsi_port;
 struct spdk_scsi_dev;
 struct spdk_scsi_lun;
+struct spdk_scsi_desc;
+
+typedef void (*spdk_scsi_remove_cb_t)(struct spdk_scsi_lun *, void *);
 
 /**
  * Initialize SCSI layer.
@@ -459,6 +462,29 @@ void spdk_scsi_task_copy_status(struct spdk_scsi_task *dst, struct spdk_scsi_tas
  */
 void spdk_scsi_task_process_null_lun(struct spdk_scsi_task *task);
 
+/**
+ * Open a logical unit for I/O operations.
+ *
+ * The registered callback function must get all tasks from the upper layer
+ *  (e.g. iSCSI) to the LUN done, free the IO channel of the LUN if allocated,
+ *  and then close the LUN.
+ *
+ * \param lun Logical unit to open.
+ * \param hotremove_cb Callback function for hot removal of the logical unit.
+ * \param hotremove_ctx Param for hot removal callback function.
+ * \param desc Output parameter for the descriptor when operation is successful.
+ * \return 0 if operation is successful, suitable errno value otherwise
+ */
+int spdk_scsi_lun_open(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun, spdk_scsi_remove_cb_t hotremove_cb,
+		       void *hotremove_ctx, struct spdk_scsi_desc **desc);
+
+/**
+ * Close an opened logical unit.
+ *
+ * \param desc Descriptor of the logical unit.
+ */
+void spdk_scsi_lun_close(struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc);
+
 /**
  * Allocate I/O channel for the LUN
  *
diff --git a/lib/scsi/lun.c b/lib/scsi/lun.c
index 157265c46..8bc90e9f4 100644
--- a/lib/scsi/lun.c
+++ b/lib/scsi/lun.c
@@ -207,10 +207,20 @@ spdk_scsi_lun_check_io_channel(void *arg)
 static void
 spdk_scsi_lun_notify_hot_remove(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
+	struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc, *tmp;
+
 	if (lun->hotremove_cb) {
 		lun->hotremove_cb(lun, lun->hotremove_ctx);
 	}
 
+	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(desc, &lun->open_descs, link, tmp) {
+		if (desc->hotremove_cb) {
+			desc->hotremove_cb(lun, desc->hotremove_ctx);
+		} else {
+			spdk_scsi_lun_close(desc);
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (lun->io_channel) {
 		lun->hotremove_poller = spdk_poller_register(spdk_scsi_lun_check_io_channel,
 					lun, 10);
@@ -311,6 +321,7 @@ spdk_scsi_lun_construct(struct spdk_bdev *bdev,
 	lun->io_channel = NULL;
 	lun->hotremove_cb = hotremove_cb;
 	lun->hotremove_ctx = hotremove_ctx;
+	TAILQ_INIT(&lun->open_descs);
 
 	return lun;
 }
@@ -321,6 +332,37 @@ spdk_scsi_lun_destruct(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 	spdk_scsi_lun_hot_remove(lun);
 }
 
+int
+spdk_scsi_lun_open(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun, spdk_scsi_remove_cb_t hotremove_cb,
+		   void *hotremove_ctx, struct spdk_scsi_desc **_desc)
+{
+	struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc;
+
+	desc = calloc(1, sizeof(*desc));
+	if (desc == NULL) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("calloc() failed for LUN descriptor.\n");
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&lun->open_descs, desc, link);
+
+	desc->lun = lun;
+	desc->hotremove_cb = hotremove_cb;
+	desc->hotremove_ctx = hotremove_ctx;
+	*_desc = desc;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void
+spdk_scsi_lun_close(struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc)
+{
+	struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun = desc->lun;
+
+	TAILQ_REMOVE(&lun->open_descs, desc, link);
+	free(desc);
+}
+
 int spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
 	if (lun->io_channel != NULL) {
diff --git a/lib/scsi/scsi_internal.h b/lib/scsi/scsi_internal.h
index b28054dbd..b2e63eb2a 100644
--- a/lib/scsi/scsi_internal.h
+++ b/lib/scsi/scsi_internal.h
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ struct spdk_scsi_dev {
 	uint8_t			protocol_id;
 };
 
+struct spdk_scsi_desc {
+	struct spdk_scsi_lun		*lun;
+	spdk_scsi_remove_cb_t		hotremove_cb;
+	void				*hotremove_ctx;
+	TAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_scsi_desc)	link;
+};
+
 struct spdk_scsi_lun {
 	/** LUN id for this logical unit. */
 	int id;
@@ -103,7 +110,11 @@ struct spdk_scsi_lun {
 	/** Argument for hotremove_cb */
 	void *hotremove_ctx;
 
-	TAILQ_HEAD(tasks, spdk_scsi_task) tasks;			/* pending tasks */
+	/** List of open descriptors for this LUN. */
+	TAILQ_HEAD(, spdk_scsi_desc) open_descs;
+
+	/** pending tasks */
+	TAILQ_HEAD(tasks, spdk_scsi_task) tasks;
 };
 
 struct spdk_lun_db_entry {