diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
index 4eb24c166..18e74dab4 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ nvmf_tgt_destroy_poll_group(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&tgt->mutex);
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&tgt->poll_groups, group, link);
+	tgt->num_poll_groups--;
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&tgt->mutex);
 
 	assert(!(tgt->state == NVMF_TGT_PAUSING || tgt->state == NVMF_TGT_RESUMING));
@@ -212,6 +213,7 @@ nvmf_tgt_create_poll_group(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
 	}
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&tgt->mutex);
+	tgt->num_poll_groups++;
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&tgt->poll_groups, group, link);
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&tgt->mutex);
 
@@ -307,6 +309,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_tgt_create(struct spdk_nvmf_target_opts *opts)
 	tgt->discovery_genctr = 0;
 	TAILQ_INIT(&tgt->transports);
 	TAILQ_INIT(&tgt->poll_groups);
+	tgt->num_poll_groups = 0;
 
 	tgt->subsystems = calloc(tgt->max_subsystems, sizeof(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *));
 	if (!tgt->subsystems) {
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
index 092ca4324..db55c17e0 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_tgt {
 	void					*destroy_cb_arg;
 
 	uint16_t				crdt[3];
+	uint16_t				num_poll_groups;
 
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_nvmf_tgt)		link;
 };
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c/nvmf_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c/nvmf_ut.c
index 9b17e3c2f..2df1d94cc 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c/nvmf_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c/nvmf_ut.c
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ test_nvmf_tgt_create_poll_group(void)
 
 	TAILQ_INIT(&tgt.transports);
 	TAILQ_INIT(&tgt.poll_groups);
+	tgt.num_poll_groups = 0;
 	pthread_mutex_init(&tgt.mutex, NULL);
 	transport.tgt = &tgt;
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&tgt.transports, &transport, link);
@@ -191,11 +192,13 @@ test_nvmf_tgt_create_poll_group(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(group.sgroups[0].ns_info[0].crkey == 0xaa);
 	CU_ASSERT(group.sgroups[0].ns_info[0].rtype == 0xbb);
 	CU_ASSERT(TAILQ_FIRST(&tgt.poll_groups) == &group);
+	CU_ASSERT(tgt.num_poll_groups == 1);
 	CU_ASSERT(group.thread == thread);
 	CU_ASSERT(group.poller != NULL);
 
 	nvmf_tgt_destroy_poll_group((void *)&tgt, (void *)&group);
 	CU_ASSERT(TAILQ_EMPTY(&tgt.poll_groups));
+	CU_ASSERT(tgt.num_poll_groups == 0);
 	free(tgt.subsystems[0]->ns);
 	free(tgt.subsystems);