diff --git a/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h b/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
index 48e0ccd840..d978a56bde 100644
--- a/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
+++ b/include/spdk_internal/bdev.h
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ struct spdk_bdev_part_channel {
 typedef TAILQ_HEAD(bdev_part_tailq, spdk_bdev_part)	SPDK_BDEV_PART_TAILQ;
 
 void spdk_bdev_part_base_free(struct spdk_bdev_part_base *base);
-void spdk_bdev_part_free(struct spdk_bdev_part *part);
+int spdk_bdev_part_free(struct spdk_bdev_part *part);
 void spdk_bdev_part_base_hotremove(struct spdk_bdev *base_bdev, struct bdev_part_tailq *tailq);
 int spdk_bdev_part_base_construct(struct spdk_bdev_part_base *base, struct spdk_bdev *bdev,
 				  spdk_bdev_remove_cb_t remove_cb,
diff --git a/lib/bdev/error/vbdev_error.c b/lib/bdev/error/vbdev_error.c
index 108c1967ce..2226785ec5 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/error/vbdev_error.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/error/vbdev_error.c
@@ -220,8 +220,7 @@ vbdev_error_destruct(void *ctx)
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("vbdev_error_config_remove() failed\n");
 	}
 
-	spdk_bdev_part_free(&error_disk->part);
-	return rc;
+	return spdk_bdev_part_free(&error_disk->part);
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c b/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
index c8b8d89aed..1cae051d3c 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/gpt/vbdev_gpt.c
@@ -152,8 +152,7 @@ vbdev_gpt_destruct(void *ctx)
 {
 	struct gpt_disk *gpt_disk = ctx;
 
-	spdk_bdev_part_free(&gpt_disk->part);
-	return 0;
+	return spdk_bdev_part_free(&gpt_disk->part);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/lib/bdev/part.c b/lib/bdev/part.c
index ff837effe7..e1c54266b9 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/part.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/part.c
@@ -50,24 +50,37 @@ spdk_bdev_part_base_free(struct spdk_bdev_part_base *base)
 	base->base_free_fn(base);
 }
 
-void
-spdk_bdev_part_free(struct spdk_bdev_part *part)
+static void
+spdk_bdev_part_free_cb(void *io_device)
 {
+	struct spdk_bdev_part *part = io_device;
 	struct spdk_bdev_part_base *base;
 
 	assert(part);
 	assert(part->base);
 
 	base = part->base;
-	spdk_io_device_unregister(part, NULL);
+
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(base->tailq, part, tailq);
-	free(part->bdev.name);
-	free(part);
 
 	if (__sync_sub_and_fetch(&base->ref, 1) == 0) {
 		spdk_bdev_module_release_bdev(base->bdev);
 		spdk_bdev_part_base_free(base);
 	}
+
+	spdk_bdev_destruct_done(&part->bdev, 0);
+	free(part->bdev.name);
+	free(part);
+}
+
+int
+spdk_bdev_part_free(struct spdk_bdev_part *part)
+{
+	spdk_io_device_unregister(part, spdk_bdev_part_free_cb);
+
+	/* Return 1 to indicate that this is an asynchronous operation that isn't complete
+	 * until spdk_bdev_destruct_done is called */
+	return 1;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c b/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
index b9ef5dc217..542bd6c976 100644
--- a/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
+++ b/lib/bdev/split/vbdev_split.c
@@ -100,8 +100,7 @@ vbdev_split_destruct(void *ctx)
 {
 	struct spdk_bdev_part *part = ctx;
 
-	spdk_bdev_part_free(part);
-	return 0;
+	return spdk_bdev_part_free(part);
 }
 
 static void