diff --git a/include/spdk/nbd.h b/include/spdk/nbd.h
index 9df8b4d60..d823e559b 100644
--- a/include/spdk/nbd.h
+++ b/include/spdk/nbd.h
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@
 struct spdk_bdev;
 struct spdk_nbd_disk;
 
+int spdk_nbd_init(void);
+
+void spdk_nbd_fini(void);
+
 struct spdk_nbd_disk *spdk_nbd_start(const char *bdev_name, const char *nbd_path);
 
 void spdk_nbd_stop(struct spdk_nbd_disk *nbd);
diff --git a/lib/event/subsystems/Makefile b/lib/event/subsystems/Makefile
index d47b2c31d..4e1f55000 100644
--- a/lib/event/subsystems/Makefile
+++ b/lib/event/subsystems/Makefile
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 SPDK_ROOT_DIR := $(abspath $(CURDIR)/../../..)
 include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.common.mk
 
-DIRS-y += bdev copy iscsi net scsi vhost
+DIRS-y += bdev copy iscsi nbd net scsi vhost
 
 .PHONY: all clean $(DIRS-y)
 
diff --git a/lib/event/subsystems/nbd/Makefile b/lib/event/subsystems/nbd/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c678e77c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/event/subsystems/nbd/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#
+#  BSD LICENSE
+#
+#  Copyright (c) Intel Corporation.
+#  All rights reserved.
+#
+#  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+#  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+#  are met:
+#
+#    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+#      the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+#      distribution.
+#    * Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its
+#      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+#      from this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+#  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+#  "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+#  LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+#  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+#  OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+#  SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+#  LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+#  DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+#  THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+#  (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+#  OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+
+SPDK_ROOT_DIR := $(abspath $(CURDIR)/../../../..)
+include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.common.mk
+
+CFLAGS += $(ENV_CFLAGS) -I.
+C_SRCS = nbd.c
+LIBNAME = event_nbd
+
+include $(SPDK_ROOT_DIR)/mk/spdk.lib.mk
diff --git a/lib/event/subsystems/nbd/nbd.c b/lib/event/subsystems/nbd/nbd.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d7820550f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/event/subsystems/nbd/nbd.c
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*-
+ *   BSD LICENSE
+ *
+ *   Copyright (c) Intel Corporation.
+ *   All rights reserved.
+ *
+ *   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ *   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ *   are met:
+ *
+ *     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *       the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *       distribution.
+ *     * Neither the name of Intel Corporation nor the names of its
+ *       contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *       from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ *   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ *   "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+ *   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+ *   OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ *   SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+ *   DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+ *   THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+ *   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ *   OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#include "spdk/stdinc.h"
+
+#include "spdk/nbd.h"
+
+#include "spdk_internal/event.h"
+
+static void
+spdk_nbd_subsystem_init(void)
+{
+	int rc;
+
+	rc = spdk_nbd_init();
+
+	spdk_subsystem_init_next(rc);
+}
+
+static void
+spdk_nbd_subsystem_fini(void)
+{
+	spdk_nbd_fini();
+	spdk_subsystem_fini_next();
+}
+
+SPDK_SUBSYSTEM_REGISTER(nbd, spdk_nbd_subsystem_init, spdk_nbd_subsystem_fini, NULL)
+SPDK_SUBSYSTEM_DEPEND(nbd, bdev)
diff --git a/lib/nbd/nbd.c b/lib/nbd/nbd.c
index a25658076..5768c8ffd 100644
--- a/lib/nbd/nbd.c
+++ b/lib/nbd/nbd.c
@@ -79,6 +79,25 @@ struct spdk_nbd_disk {
 	uint32_t		buf_align;
 };
 
+struct spdk_nbd_disk_globals {
+	TAILQ_HEAD(, spdk_nbd_disk)	disk_head;
+};
+
+static struct spdk_nbd_disk_globals g_spdk_nbd;
+
+int
+spdk_nbd_init(void)
+{
+	TAILQ_INIT(&g_spdk_nbd.disk_head);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void
+spdk_nbd_fini(void)
+{
+}
+
 static bool
 is_read(enum spdk_bdev_io_type io_type)
 {
diff --git a/test/lib/bdev/nbd/Makefile b/test/lib/bdev/nbd/Makefile
index dff27aeb3..6e7a0722e 100644
--- a/test/lib/bdev/nbd/Makefile
+++ b/test/lib/bdev/nbd/Makefile
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ C_SRCS := nbd.c
 
 CFLAGS += -I. $(ENV_CFLAGS)
 
-SPDK_LIB_LIST = event_bdev event_copy nbd
-SPDK_LIB_LIST += bdev bdev_rpc copy event trace log log_rpc conf util rpc jsonrpc json
+SPDK_LIB_LIST = event_bdev event_copy event_nbd
+SPDK_LIB_LIST += bdev bdev_rpc copy event trace log log_rpc conf util rpc jsonrpc json nbd
 
 LIBS += $(BLOCKDEV_MODULES_LINKER_ARGS) \
 	$(COPY_MODULES_LINKER_ARGS)