diff --git a/block/nvme.c b/block/nvme.c
index 781d77d6d2..29294038fc 100644
--- a/block/nvme.c
+++ b/block/nvme.c
@@ -489,10 +489,8 @@ static void nvme_handle_event(EventNotifier *n)
     BDRVNVMeState *s = container_of(n, BDRVNVMeState, irq_notifier);
 
     trace_nvme_handle_event(s);
-    aio_context_acquire(s->aio_context);
     event_notifier_test_and_clear(n);
     nvme_poll_queues(s);
-    aio_context_release(s->aio_context);
 }
 
 static bool nvme_add_io_queue(BlockDriverState *bs, Error **errp)