diff --git a/lib/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c b/lib/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
index ecbc318f7..f2d1eae81 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/nvme/bdev_nvme.c
@@ -1037,8 +1037,8 @@ remove_cb(void *cb_ctx, struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 				uint32_t	nsid = i + 1;
 
 				nvme_bdev = &nvme_bdev_ctrlr->bdevs[nsid - 1];
-				assert(nvme_bdev->id == nsid);
 				if (nvme_bdev->active) {
+					assert(nvme_bdev->id == nsid);
 					spdk_bdev_unregister(&nvme_bdev->disk, NULL, NULL);
 				}
 			}