diff --git a/hw/scsi/virtio-scsi.c b/hw/scsi/virtio-scsi.c
index d0bdbff090..8b9e5e2b49 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/virtio-scsi.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/virtio-scsi.c
@@ -832,6 +832,7 @@ static void virtio_scsi_hotunplug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
     VirtIODevice *vdev = VIRTIO_DEVICE(hotplug_dev);
     VirtIOSCSI *s = VIRTIO_SCSI(vdev);
     SCSIDevice *sd = SCSI_DEVICE(dev);
+    AioContext *ctx = s->ctx ?: qemu_get_aio_context();
 
     if (virtio_vdev_has_feature(vdev, VIRTIO_SCSI_F_HOTPLUG)) {
         virtio_scsi_acquire(s);
@@ -841,14 +842,16 @@ static void virtio_scsi_hotunplug(HotplugHandler *hotplug_dev, DeviceState *dev,
         virtio_scsi_release(s);
     }
 
+    aio_disable_external(ctx);
+    qdev_simple_device_unplug_cb(hotplug_dev, dev, errp);
+    aio_enable_external(ctx);
+
     if (s->ctx) {
         virtio_scsi_acquire(s);
         /* If other users keep the BlockBackend in the iothread, that's ok */
         blk_set_aio_context(sd->conf.blk, qemu_get_aio_context(), NULL);
         virtio_scsi_release(s);
     }
-
-    qdev_simple_device_unplug_cb(hotplug_dev, dev, errp);
 }
 
 static struct SCSIBusInfo virtio_scsi_scsi_info = {