diff --git a/hw/block/virtio-blk.c b/hw/block/virtio-blk.c
index 1762517878..cefca93b31 100644
--- a/hw/block/virtio-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/virtio-blk.c
@@ -894,6 +894,10 @@ static void virtio_blk_update_config(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t *config)
     uint64_t capacity;
     int64_t length;
     int blk_size = conf->logical_block_size;
+    AioContext *ctx;
+
+    ctx = blk_get_aio_context(s->blk);
+    aio_context_acquire(ctx);
 
     blk_get_geometry(s->blk, &capacity);
     memset(&blkcfg, 0, sizeof(blkcfg));
@@ -917,6 +921,7 @@ static void virtio_blk_update_config(VirtIODevice *vdev, uint8_t *config)
      * per track (cylinder).
      */
     length = blk_getlength(s->blk);
+    aio_context_release(ctx);
     if (length > 0 && length / conf->heads / conf->secs % blk_size) {
         blkcfg.geometry.sectors = conf->secs & ~s->sector_mask;
     } else {