diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/zns.c b/drivers/nvme/target/zns.c
index f00921931eb6..a13befd5f3ad 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/zns.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/zns.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ void nvmet_execute_identify_ns_zns(struct nvmet_req *req)
 		mutex_unlock(&req->ns->subsys->lock);
 	}
 
-	if (!bdev_is_zoned(req->ns->bdev)) {
+	if (!req->ns->bdev || !bdev_is_zoned(req->ns->bdev)) {
 		status = NVME_SC_INVALID_FIELD | NVME_STATUS_DNR;
 		req->error_loc = offsetof(struct nvme_identify, nsid);
 		goto out;