diff --git a/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c b/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
index c07adc6e4f..b55188cb82 100644
--- a/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
+++ b/hw/block/dataplane/virtio-blk.c
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ void virtio_blk_data_plane_create(VirtIODevice *vdev, VirtIOBlkConf *blk,
     error_setg(&s->blocker, "block device is in use by data plane");
     bdrv_op_block_all(blk->conf.bs, s->blocker);
     bdrv_op_unblock(blk->conf.bs, BLOCK_OP_TYPE_RESIZE, s->blocker);
+    bdrv_op_unblock(blk->conf.bs, BLOCK_OP_TYPE_DRIVE_DEL, s->blocker);
 
     *dataplane = s;
 }