diff --git a/include/spdk/scsi.h b/include/spdk/scsi.h
index fc05232e9..18126a212 100644
--- a/include/spdk/scsi.h
+++ b/include/spdk/scsi.h
@@ -488,18 +488,18 @@ void spdk_scsi_lun_close(struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc);
 /**
  * Allocate I/O channel for the LUN
  *
- * \param lun Logical unit.
+ * \param desc Descriptor of the logical unit.
  *
  * \return 0 on success, -1 on failure.
  */
-int spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun);
+int spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc);
 
 /**
  * Free I/O channel from the logical unit
  *
- * \param lun Logical unit.
+ * \param desc Descriptor of the logical unit.
  */
-void spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun);
+void spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/lib/scsi/dev.c b/lib/scsi/dev.c
index c86eaee8a..335ffacba 100644
--- a/lib/scsi/dev.c
+++ b/lib/scsi/dev.c
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ spdk_scsi_dev_free_io_channels(struct spdk_scsi_dev *dev)
 		if (dev->lun[i] == NULL) {
 			continue;
 		}
-		spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(dev->lun[i]);
+		_spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(dev->lun[i]);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ spdk_scsi_dev_allocate_io_channels(struct spdk_scsi_dev *dev)
 		if (dev->lun[i] == NULL) {
 			continue;
 		}
-		rc = spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(dev->lun[i]);
+		rc = _spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(dev->lun[i]);
 		if (rc < 0) {
 			spdk_scsi_dev_free_io_channels(dev);
 			return -1;
diff --git a/lib/scsi/lun.c b/lib/scsi/lun.c
index 8bc90e9f4..33f4cd822 100644
--- a/lib/scsi/lun.c
+++ b/lib/scsi/lun.c
@@ -361,9 +361,12 @@ spdk_scsi_lun_close(struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc)
 
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&lun->open_descs, desc, link);
 	free(desc);
+
+	assert(!TAILQ_EMPTY(&lun->open_descs) || lun->io_channel == NULL);
 }
 
-int spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
+int
+_spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
 	if (lun->io_channel != NULL) {
 		if (spdk_get_thread() == spdk_io_channel_get_thread(lun->io_channel)) {
@@ -383,7 +386,8 @@ int spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
+void
+_spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
 	if (lun->io_channel == NULL) {
 		return;
@@ -401,6 +405,22 @@ void spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 	}
 }
 
+int
+spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc)
+{
+	struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun = desc->lun;
+
+	return _spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(lun);
+}
+
+void
+spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_desc *desc)
+{
+	struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun = desc->lun;
+
+	_spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(lun);
+}
+
 int
 spdk_scsi_lun_get_id(const struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
diff --git a/lib/scsi/scsi_internal.h b/lib/scsi/scsi_internal.h
index b2e63eb2a..85caf7621 100644
--- a/lib/scsi/scsi_internal.h
+++ b/lib/scsi/scsi_internal.h
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ int spdk_scsi_lun_task_mgmt_execute(struct spdk_scsi_task *task, enum spdk_scsi_
 void spdk_scsi_lun_complete_task(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun, struct spdk_scsi_task *task);
 void spdk_scsi_lun_complete_mgmt_task(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun, struct spdk_scsi_task *task);
 bool spdk_scsi_lun_has_pending_tasks(const struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun);
+int _spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun);
+void _spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun);
 
 struct spdk_scsi_dev *spdk_scsi_dev_get_list(void);
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/scsi/dev.c/dev_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/scsi/dev.c/dev_ut.c
index 60c4c0555..6fa906772 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/scsi/dev.c/dev_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/scsi/dev.c/dev_ut.c
@@ -123,13 +123,13 @@ spdk_scsi_lun_execute_task(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun, struct spdk_scsi_task *tas
 }
 
 int
-spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
+_spdk_scsi_lun_allocate_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
 	return 0;
 }
 
 void
-spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
+_spdk_scsi_lun_free_io_channel(struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 {
 }