diff --git a/include/spdk/ftl.h b/include/spdk/ftl.h
index 0c37ef39fe..8324d20de1 100644
--- a/include/spdk/ftl.h
+++ b/include/spdk/ftl.h
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ struct spdk_ftl_conf {
 	/* Use append instead of write */
 	bool					use_append;
 
+	/* Maximum supported number of IO channels */
+	uint32_t				max_io_channels;
+
 	struct {
 		/* Maximum number of concurrent requests */
 		size_t				max_request_cnt;
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
index dd4510cde6..90e0f318d6 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
@@ -861,7 +861,8 @@ ftl_shutdown_complete(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 	struct ftl_io_channel *ioch = ftl_io_channel_get_ctx(dev->ioch);
 
 	return !__atomic_load_n(&dev->num_inflight, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST) &&
-	       LIST_EMPTY(&dev->wptr_list) && TAILQ_EMPTY(&ioch->retry_queue);
+	       dev->num_io_channels == 1 && LIST_EMPTY(&dev->wptr_list) &&
+	       TAILQ_EMPTY(&ioch->retry_queue);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.h b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.h
index fe113447df..cc869e009a 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.h
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.h
@@ -199,6 +199,16 @@ struct spdk_ftl_dev {
 	/* Poller */
 	struct spdk_poller			*core_poller;
 
+	/* IO channel array provides means for retrieving write buffer entries
+	 * from their address stored in L2P.  The address is divided into two
+	 * parts - IO channel offset poining at specific IO channel (within this
+	 * array) and entry offset pointing at specific entry within that IO
+	 * channel.
+	 */
+	struct ftl_io_channel			**ioch_array;
+	TAILQ_HEAD(, ftl_io_channel)		ioch_queue;
+	uint64_t				num_io_channels;
+
 	/* Devices' list */
 	STAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_ftl_dev)		stailq;
 };
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c b/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
index 1a97273d23..15b63e7d73 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_init.c
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ static const struct spdk_ftl_conf	g_default_conf = {
 	 * will result in lost data after recovery.
 	 */
 	.allow_open_bands = false,
+	.max_io_channels = 128,
 	.nv_cache = {
 		/* Maximum number of concurrent requests */
 		.max_request_cnt = 2048,
@@ -535,16 +536,6 @@ ftl_dev_init_core_thread(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev, const struct spdk_ftl_dev_ini
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void
-ftl_dev_free_thread(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
-{
-	assert(dev->core_poller == NULL);
-
-	spdk_put_io_channel(dev->ioch);
-	dev->core_thread = NULL;
-	dev->ioch = NULL;
-}
-
 static int
 ftl_dev_l2p_alloc(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 {
@@ -957,15 +948,42 @@ ftl_io_channel_get_ctx(struct spdk_io_channel *ioch)
 	return _ioch->ioch;
 }
 
+static void
+ftl_io_channel_register(void *ctx)
+{
+	struct ftl_io_channel *ioch = ctx;
+	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = ioch->dev;
+	uint32_t ioch_index;
+
+	for (ioch_index = 0; ioch_index < dev->conf.max_io_channels; ++ioch_index) {
+		if (dev->ioch_array[ioch_index] == NULL) {
+			dev->ioch_array[ioch_index] = ioch;
+			ioch->index = ioch_index;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	assert(ioch_index < dev->conf.max_io_channels);
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&dev->ioch_queue, ioch, tailq);
+}
+
 static int
 ftl_io_channel_create_cb(void *io_device, void *ctx)
 {
 	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = io_device;
 	struct _ftl_io_channel *_ioch = ctx;
 	struct ftl_io_channel *ioch;
+	uint32_t num_io_channels;
 	char mempool_name[32];
 	int rc;
 
+	num_io_channels = __atomic_fetch_add(&dev->num_io_channels, 1, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+	if (num_io_channels >= dev->conf.max_io_channels) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Reached maximum number of IO channels\n");
+		__atomic_fetch_sub(&dev->num_io_channels, 1, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	ioch = calloc(1, sizeof(*ioch));
 	if (ioch == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to allocate IO channel\n");
@@ -1016,6 +1034,9 @@ ftl_io_channel_create_cb(void *io_device, void *ctx)
 	}
 
 	_ioch->ioch = ioch;
+
+	spdk_thread_send_msg(ftl_get_core_thread(dev), ftl_io_channel_register, ioch);
+
 	return 0;
 
 fail_poller:
@@ -1032,27 +1053,58 @@ fail_ioch:
 
 }
 
+static void
+ftl_io_channel_unregister(void *ctx)
+{
+	struct ftl_io_channel *ioch = ctx;
+	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = ioch->dev;
+	uint32_t num_io_channels __attribute__((unused));
+
+	assert(ioch->index < dev->conf.max_io_channels);
+	assert(dev->ioch_array[ioch->index] == ioch);
+
+	dev->ioch_array[ioch->index] = NULL;
+	TAILQ_REMOVE(&dev->ioch_queue, ioch, tailq);
+
+	num_io_channels = __atomic_fetch_sub(&dev->num_io_channels, 1, __ATOMIC_SEQ_CST);
+	assert(num_io_channels > 0);
+
+	spdk_mempool_free(ioch->io_pool);
+	free(ioch);
+}
+
 static void
 ftl_io_channel_destroy_cb(void *io_device, void *ctx)
 {
 	struct _ftl_io_channel *_ioch = ctx;
 	struct ftl_io_channel *ioch = _ioch->ioch;
+	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = ioch->dev;
 
 	spdk_poller_unregister(&ioch->poller);
 
-	spdk_mempool_free(ioch->io_pool);
 	spdk_put_io_channel(ioch->base_ioch);
-
 	if (ioch->cache_ioch) {
 		spdk_put_io_channel(ioch->cache_ioch);
 	}
 
-	free(ioch);
+	ioch->base_ioch = NULL;
+	ioch->cache_ioch = NULL;
+
+	spdk_thread_send_msg(ftl_get_core_thread(dev), ftl_io_channel_unregister, ioch);
 }
 
 static int
 ftl_dev_init_io_channel(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 {
+	dev->ioch_array = calloc(dev->conf.max_io_channels, sizeof(*dev->ioch_array));
+	if (!dev->ioch_array) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to allocate IO channel array\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	TAILQ_INIT(&dev->ioch_queue);
+	dev->num_io_channels = 0;
+
 	spdk_io_device_register(dev, ftl_io_channel_create_cb, ftl_io_channel_destroy_cb,
 				sizeof(struct _ftl_io_channel),
 				NULL);
@@ -1168,10 +1220,6 @@ ftl_dev_free_sync(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 
 	spdk_io_device_unregister(dev, NULL);
 
-	if (dev->core_thread) {
-		ftl_dev_free_thread(dev);
-	}
-
 	if (dev->bands) {
 		for (i = 0; i < ftl_get_num_bands(dev); ++i) {
 			free(dev->bands[i].zone_buf);
@@ -1196,6 +1244,8 @@ ftl_dev_free_sync(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 	ftl_release_bdev(dev->nv_cache.bdev_desc);
 	ftl_release_bdev(dev->base_bdev_desc);
 
+	assert(dev->num_io_channels == 0);
+	free(dev->ioch_array);
 	free(dev->name);
 	free(dev->bands);
 	free(dev->l2p);
@@ -1321,6 +1371,13 @@ static void
 ftl_halt_complete_cb(void *ctx)
 {
 	struct ftl_dev_init_ctx *fini_ctx = ctx;
+	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = fini_ctx->dev;
+
+	/* Make sure core IO channel has already been released */
+	if (dev->num_io_channels > 0) {
+		spdk_thread_send_msg(spdk_get_thread(), ftl_halt_complete_cb, ctx);
+		return;
+	}
 
 	ftl_dev_free_sync(fini_ctx->dev);
 	if (fini_ctx->cb_fn != NULL) {
@@ -1330,6 +1387,16 @@ ftl_halt_complete_cb(void *ctx)
 	ftl_dev_free_init_ctx(fini_ctx);
 }
 
+static void
+ftl_put_io_channel_cb(void *ctx)
+{
+	struct ftl_dev_init_ctx *fini_ctx = ctx;
+	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev = fini_ctx->dev;
+
+	spdk_put_io_channel(dev->ioch);
+	spdk_thread_send_msg(spdk_get_thread(), ftl_halt_complete_cb, ctx);
+}
+
 static void
 ftl_nv_cache_header_fini_cb(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io, bool success, void *cb_arg)
 {
@@ -1343,7 +1410,7 @@ ftl_nv_cache_header_fini_cb(struct spdk_bdev_io *bdev_io, bool success, void *cb
 	}
 
 	fini_ctx->halt_complete_status = rc;
-	spdk_thread_send_msg(fini_ctx->thread, ftl_halt_complete_cb, fini_ctx);
+	spdk_thread_send_msg(fini_ctx->thread, ftl_put_io_channel_cb, fini_ctx);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -1360,7 +1427,7 @@ ftl_halt_poller(void *ctx)
 						  ftl_nv_cache_header_fini_cb, fini_ctx);
 		} else {
 			fini_ctx->halt_complete_status = 0;
-			spdk_thread_send_msg(fini_ctx->thread, ftl_halt_complete_cb, fini_ctx);
+			spdk_thread_send_msg(fini_ctx->thread, ftl_put_io_channel_cb, fini_ctx);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_io.h b/lib/ftl/ftl_io.h
index 3b99fa35fe..4f2c85b98b 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_io.h
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_io.h
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ struct ftl_io_channel {
 	struct spdk_ftl_dev			*dev;
 	/* IO pool element size */
 	size_t					elem_size;
+	/* Index within the IO channel array */
+	uint64_t				index;
 	/* IO pool */
 	struct spdk_mempool			*io_pool;
 	/* Underlying device IO channel */
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ struct ftl_io_channel {
 	/* Write completion queue */
 	TAILQ_HEAD(, ftl_io)			write_cmpl_queue;
 	TAILQ_HEAD(, ftl_io)			retry_queue;
+	TAILQ_ENTRY(ftl_io_channel)		tailq;
 };
 
 /* General IO descriptor */
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/ftl/ftl_io.c/ftl_io_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/ftl/ftl_io.c/ftl_io_ut.c
index c7f2e2bc43..76903ee46c 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/ftl/ftl_io.c/ftl_io_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/ftl/ftl_io.c/ftl_io_ut.c
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ setup_device(uint32_t num_threads)
 	dev = calloc(1, sizeof(*dev));
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(dev != NULL);
 
+	dev->core_thread = spdk_get_thread();
 	dev->ioch = calloc(1, sizeof(*_ioch) + sizeof(struct spdk_io_channel));
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(dev->ioch != NULL);
 
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@ free_device(struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev)
 	spdk_io_device_unregister(dev->base_bdev_desc, NULL);
 	free_threads();
 
+	free(dev->ioch_array);
 	free(dev->ioch);
 	free(dev);
 }
@@ -541,6 +543,77 @@ test_multi_generation(void)
 	free_device(dev);
 }
 
+static void
+test_io_channel_create(void)
+{
+	struct spdk_ftl_dev *dev;
+	struct spdk_io_channel *ioch, **ioch_array;
+	struct ftl_io_channel *ftl_ioch;
+	uint32_t ioch_idx;
+
+	dev = setup_device(g_default_conf.max_io_channels + 1);
+
+	ioch = spdk_get_io_channel(dev);
+	CU_ASSERT(ioch != NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(dev->num_io_channels, 1);
+	spdk_put_io_channel(ioch);
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(dev->num_io_channels, 0);
+
+	ioch_array = calloc(dev->conf.max_io_channels, sizeof(*ioch_array));
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ioch != NULL);
+
+	for (ioch_idx = 0; ioch_idx < dev->conf.max_io_channels; ++ioch_idx) {
+		set_thread(ioch_idx);
+		ioch = ioch_array[ioch_idx] = spdk_get_io_channel(dev);
+		SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ioch != NULL);
+		poll_threads();
+
+		ftl_ioch = ftl_io_channel_get_ctx(ioch);
+		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(ftl_ioch->index, ioch_idx);
+	}
+
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(dev->num_io_channels, dev->conf.max_io_channels);
+	set_thread(dev->conf.max_io_channels);
+	ioch = spdk_get_io_channel(dev);
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(dev->num_io_channels, dev->conf.max_io_channels);
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(ioch, NULL);
+
+	for (ioch_idx = 0; ioch_idx < dev->conf.max_io_channels; ioch_idx += 2) {
+		set_thread(ioch_idx);
+		spdk_put_io_channel(ioch_array[ioch_idx]);
+		ioch_array[ioch_idx] = NULL;
+		poll_threads();
+	}
+
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(dev->num_io_channels, dev->conf.max_io_channels / 2);
+
+	for (ioch_idx = 0; ioch_idx < dev->conf.max_io_channels; ioch_idx++) {
+		set_thread(ioch_idx);
+
+		if (ioch_array[ioch_idx] == NULL) {
+			ioch = ioch_array[ioch_idx] = spdk_get_io_channel(dev);
+			SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ioch != NULL);
+			poll_threads();
+
+			ftl_ioch = ftl_io_channel_get_ctx(ioch);
+			CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(ftl_ioch->index, ioch_idx);
+		}
+	}
+
+	for (ioch_idx = 0; ioch_idx < dev->conf.max_io_channels; ioch_idx++) {
+		set_thread(ioch_idx);
+		spdk_put_io_channel(ioch_array[ioch_idx]);
+	}
+
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(dev->num_io_channels, 0);
+
+	free(ioch_array);
+	free_device(dev);
+}
+
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
@@ -568,6 +641,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			       test_child_status) == NULL
 		|| CU_add_test(suite, "test_multi_generation",
 			       test_multi_generation) == NULL
+		|| CU_add_test(suite, "test_io_channel_create",
+			       test_io_channel_create) == NULL
 
 	) {
 		CU_cleanup_registry();