diff --git a/include/spdk/lvol.h b/include/spdk/lvol.h
index 7b1cd7f65..29e7b0bdc 100644
--- a/include/spdk/lvol.h
+++ b/include/spdk/lvol.h
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ struct spdk_lvs_opts {
 	uint32_t cluster_sz;
 };
 
+/* Initialize an spdk_lvs_opts structure to the default logical volume store option values. */
+void spdk_lvs_opts_init(struct spdk_lvs_opts *opts);
+
 typedef void (*spdk_lvs_op_with_handle_complete)(void *cb_arg, struct spdk_lvol_store *lvol_store,
 		int lvserrno);
 typedef void (*spdk_lvs_op_complete)(void *cb_arg, int lvserrno);
diff --git a/lib/bdev/lvol/vbdev_lvol.c b/lib/bdev/lvol/vbdev_lvol.c
index fbaf70f1c..c3012a7ec 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/lvol/vbdev_lvol.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/lvol/vbdev_lvol.c
@@ -105,8 +105,7 @@ vbdev_lvs_create(struct spdk_bdev *base_bdev, uint32_t cluster_sz,
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev *bs_dev;
 	struct spdk_lvs_with_handle_req *lvs_req;
-	struct spdk_lvs_opts *opts = NULL;
-	struct spdk_lvs_opts temp;
+	struct spdk_lvs_opts opts;
 	int rc;
 
 	if (base_bdev == NULL) {
@@ -114,9 +113,9 @@ vbdev_lvs_create(struct spdk_bdev *base_bdev, uint32_t cluster_sz,
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
+	spdk_lvs_opts_init(&opts);
 	if (cluster_sz != 0) {
-		temp.cluster_sz = cluster_sz;
-		opts = &temp;
+		opts.cluster_sz = cluster_sz;
 	}
 
 	lvs_req = calloc(1, sizeof(*lvs_req));
@@ -137,7 +136,7 @@ vbdev_lvs_create(struct spdk_bdev *base_bdev, uint32_t cluster_sz,
 	lvs_req->cb_fn = cb_fn;
 	lvs_req->cb_arg = cb_arg;
 
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(bs_dev, opts, _vbdev_lvs_create_cb, lvs_req);
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(bs_dev, &opts, _vbdev_lvs_create_cb, lvs_req);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		free(lvs_req);
 		bs_dev->destroy(bs_dev);
diff --git a/lib/lvol/lvol.c b/lib/lvol/lvol.c
index baf477c47..997e70edd 100644
--- a/lib/lvol/lvol.c
+++ b/lib/lvol/lvol.c
@@ -172,15 +172,18 @@ _spdk_lvs_init_cb(void *cb_arg, struct spdk_blob_store *bs, int lvserrno)
 	spdk_bs_md_create_blob(lvs->blobstore, _spdk_super_blob_create_cb, lvs_req);
 }
 
-static void
-spdk_setup_lvs_opts(struct spdk_bs_opts *bs_opts, struct spdk_lvs_opts *o)
+void
+spdk_lvs_opts_init(struct spdk_lvs_opts *o)
 {
+	o->cluster_sz = SPDK_LVS_OPTS_CLUSTER_SZ;
+}
+
+static void
+_spdk_setup_lvs_opts(struct spdk_bs_opts *bs_opts, struct spdk_lvs_opts *o)
+{
+	assert(o != NULL);
 	spdk_bs_opts_init(bs_opts);
-	if (o) {
-		bs_opts->cluster_sz = o->cluster_sz;
-	} else {
-		bs_opts->cluster_sz = SPDK_LVS_OPTS_CLUSTER_SZ;
-	}
+	bs_opts->cluster_sz = o->cluster_sz;
 }
 
 int
@@ -196,7 +199,12 @@ spdk_lvs_init(struct spdk_bs_dev *bs_dev, struct spdk_lvs_opts *o,
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 
-	spdk_setup_lvs_opts(&opts, o);
+	if (o == NULL) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("spdk_lvs_opts not specified\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	_spdk_setup_lvs_opts(&opts, o);
 
 	lvs = calloc(1, sizeof(*lvs));
 	if (!lvs) {
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/bdev/vbdev_lvol.c/vbdev_lvol_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/bdev/vbdev_lvol.c/vbdev_lvol_ut.c
index 4205166e0..38f73b729 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/bdev/vbdev_lvol.c/vbdev_lvol_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/bdev/vbdev_lvol.c/vbdev_lvol_ut.c
@@ -106,6 +106,11 @@ spdk_bdev_create_bs_dev(struct spdk_bdev *bdev, spdk_bdev_remove_cb_t remove_cb,
 	return bs_dev;
 }
 
+void
+spdk_lvs_opts_init(struct spdk_lvs_opts *opts)
+{
+}
+
 int
 spdk_lvs_init(struct spdk_bs_dev *bs_dev, struct spdk_lvs_opts *o,
 	      spdk_lvs_op_with_handle_complete cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/lvol/lvol.c/lvol_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/lvol/lvol.c/lvol_ut.c
index 5b9707412..25f5fdabd 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/lvol/lvol.c/lvol_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/lvol/lvol.c/lvol_ut.c
@@ -212,15 +212,17 @@ static void
 lvs_init_unload_success(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev bs_dev;
+	struct spdk_lvs_opts opts;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	init_dev(&bs_dev);
 
 	spdk_allocate_thread(_lvol_send_msg, NULL, NULL);
+	spdk_lvs_opts_init(&opts);
 
 	g_lvserrno = -1;
 
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, NULL, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, &opts, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_lvserrno == 0);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_lvol_store != NULL);
@@ -296,14 +298,17 @@ static void
 lvol_create_destroy_success(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev bs_dev;
+	struct spdk_lvs_opts opts;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	init_dev(&bs_dev);
 
 	spdk_allocate_thread(_lvol_send_msg, NULL, NULL);
 
+	spdk_lvs_opts_init(&opts);
+
 	g_lvserrno = -1;
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, NULL, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, &opts, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_lvserrno == 0);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_lvol_store != NULL);
@@ -327,19 +332,22 @@ static void
 lvol_create_fail(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev bs_dev;
+	struct spdk_lvs_opts opts;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	init_dev(&bs_dev);
 
 	spdk_allocate_thread(_lvol_send_msg, NULL, NULL);
 
+	spdk_lvs_opts_init(&opts);
+
 	g_lvol_store = NULL;
 	g_lvserrno = 0;
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(NULL, NULL, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(NULL, &opts, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc != 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_lvol_store == NULL);
 
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, NULL, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, &opts, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_lvol_store != NULL);
 
@@ -365,13 +373,16 @@ static void
 lvol_destroy_fail(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev bs_dev;
+	struct spdk_lvs_opts opts;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	init_dev(&bs_dev);
 
 	spdk_allocate_thread(_lvol_send_msg, NULL, NULL);
 
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, NULL, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	spdk_lvs_opts_init(&opts);
+
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, &opts, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_lvserrno == 0);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_lvol_store != NULL);
@@ -396,13 +407,16 @@ static void
 lvol_close_fail(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev bs_dev;
+	struct spdk_lvs_opts opts;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	init_dev(&bs_dev);
 
 	spdk_allocate_thread(_lvol_send_msg, NULL, NULL);
 
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, NULL, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	spdk_lvs_opts_init(&opts);
+
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, &opts, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_lvserrno == 0);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_lvol_store != NULL);
@@ -427,14 +441,17 @@ static void
 lvol_close_success(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev bs_dev;
+	struct spdk_lvs_opts opts;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	init_dev(&bs_dev);
 
 	spdk_allocate_thread(_lvol_send_msg, NULL, NULL);
 
+	spdk_lvs_opts_init(&opts);
+
 	g_lvserrno = -1;
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, NULL, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, &opts, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_lvserrno == 0);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_lvol_store != NULL);
@@ -458,15 +475,18 @@ static void
 lvol_resize(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_bs_dev bs_dev;
+	struct spdk_lvs_opts opts;
 	int rc = 0;
 
 	init_dev(&bs_dev);
 
 	spdk_allocate_thread(_lvol_send_msg, NULL, NULL);
 
+	spdk_lvs_opts_init(&opts);
+
 	g_resize_rc = 0;
 	g_lvserrno = -1;
-	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, NULL, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
+	rc = spdk_lvs_init(&bs_dev, &opts, lvol_store_op_with_handle_complete, NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(g_lvserrno == 0);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(g_lvol_store != NULL);