diff --git a/src/nvme/tree.c b/src/nvme/tree.c
index 26f57155..62148494 100644
--- a/src/nvme/tree.c
+++ b/src/nvme/tree.c
@@ -2478,7 +2478,6 @@ static void nvme_ns_set_generic_name(struct nvme_ns *n, const char *name)
 static nvme_ns_t nvme_ns_open(const char *sys_path, const char *name)
 {
 	struct nvme_ns *n;
-	int fd;
 
 	n = calloc(1, sizeof(*n));
 	if (!n) {
@@ -2489,10 +2488,6 @@ static nvme_ns_t nvme_ns_open(const char *sys_path, const char *name)
 	n->fd = -1;
 	n->name = strdup(name);
 
-	fd = nvme_ns_get_fd(n);
-	if (fd < 0)
-		goto free_ns;
-
 	nvme_ns_set_generic_name(n, name);
 
 	if (nvme_ns_init(sys_path, n) != 0)
@@ -2505,7 +2500,6 @@ static nvme_ns_t nvme_ns_open(const char *sys_path, const char *name)
 	return n;
 
 free_ns:
-	nvme_ns_release_fd(n);
 	free(n->generic_name);
 	free(n->name);
 	free(n);