diff --git a/lib/bdev/bdev.c b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
index 3d3296f43..11434ede7 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/bdev.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/bdev.c
@@ -6163,29 +6163,6 @@ bdev_destroy_cb(void *io_device)
 	}
 }
 
-static void
-bdev_register_finished(void *arg)
-{
-	struct spdk_bdev *bdev = arg;
-
-	spdk_notify_send("bdev_register", spdk_bdev_get_name(bdev));
-}
-
-int
-spdk_bdev_register(struct spdk_bdev *bdev)
-{
-	int rc = bdev_register(bdev);
-
-	if (rc == 0) {
-		/* Examine configuration before initializing I/O */
-		bdev_examine(bdev);
-
-		spdk_bdev_wait_for_examine(bdev_register_finished, bdev);
-	}
-
-	return rc;
-}
-
 void
 spdk_bdev_destruct_done(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, int bdeverrno)
 {
@@ -6584,6 +6561,54 @@ spdk_bdev_close(struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc)
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_bdev_mgr.mutex);
 }
 
+static void
+bdev_register_finished(void *arg)
+{
+	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc = arg;
+	struct spdk_bdev *bdev = spdk_bdev_desc_get_bdev(desc);
+
+	spdk_notify_send("bdev_register", spdk_bdev_get_name(bdev));
+
+	bdev_close(bdev, desc);
+}
+
+int
+spdk_bdev_register(struct spdk_bdev *bdev)
+{
+	struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc;
+	int rc;
+
+	rc = bdev_register(bdev);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		return rc;
+	}
+
+	/* A descriptor is opened to prevent bdev deletion during examination */
+	rc = bdev_desc_alloc(bdev, _tmp_bdev_event_cb, NULL, &desc);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		spdk_bdev_unregister(bdev, NULL, NULL);
+		return rc;
+	}
+
+	rc = bdev_open(bdev, false, desc);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		bdev_desc_free(desc);
+		spdk_bdev_unregister(bdev, NULL, NULL);
+		return rc;
+	}
+
+	/* Examine configuration before initializing I/O */
+	bdev_examine(bdev);
+
+	rc = spdk_bdev_wait_for_examine(bdev_register_finished, desc);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		bdev_close(bdev, desc);
+		spdk_bdev_unregister(bdev, NULL, NULL);
+	}
+
+	return rc;
+}
+
 int
 spdk_bdev_module_claim_bdev(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, struct spdk_bdev_desc *desc,
 			    struct spdk_bdev_module *module)
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
index a0ba26ead..d9ea183e8 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/bdev.c/bdev_ut.c
@@ -451,6 +451,7 @@ allocate_bdev(char *name)
 	bdev->blocklen = 512;
 
 	rc = spdk_bdev_register(bdev);
+	poll_threads();
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 
 	return bdev;
@@ -470,6 +471,7 @@ allocate_vbdev(char *name)
 	bdev->module = &vbdev_ut_if;
 
 	rc = spdk_bdev_register(bdev);
+	poll_threads();
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 
 	return bdev;
@@ -807,6 +809,7 @@ num_blocks_test(void)
 	bdev.fn_table = &fn_table;
 	bdev.module = &bdev_ut_if;
 	spdk_bdev_register(&bdev);
+	poll_threads();
 	spdk_bdev_notify_blockcnt_change(&bdev, 50);
 
 	/* Growing block number */