diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost.c b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
index fb89a8e92d..5b96729320 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost.c
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost.c
@@ -637,8 +637,8 @@ spdk_vhost_event_send(struct spdk_vhost_dev *vdev, spdk_vhost_event_fn cb_fn,
 
 	rc = sem_timedwait(&ev_ctx.sem, &timeout);
 	if (rc != 0) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Timout waiting for event: %s.\n", errmsg);
-		abort();
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Timeout waiting for event: %s.\n", errmsg);
+		sem_wait(&ev_ctx.sem);
 	}
 
 	sem_destroy(&ev_ctx.sem);
diff --git a/lib/vhost/vhost_internal.h b/lib/vhost/vhost_internal.h
index 111b98c771..cffb8f5976 100644
--- a/lib/vhost/vhost_internal.h
+++ b/lib/vhost/vhost_internal.h
@@ -91,9 +91,6 @@ struct spdk_vhost_dev_backend {
 	 * The first param is struct spdk_vhost_dev *.
 	 * The second one is event context that has to be
 	 * passed to spdk_vhost_dev_backend_event_done().
-	 * If spdk_vhost_dev_backend_event_done isn't called
-	 * within an arbitrary limit of 3 seconds, these
-	 * callbacks will time out.
 	 */
 	spdk_vhost_event_fn start_device;
 	spdk_vhost_event_fn stop_device;