diff --git a/libnvme/src/libnvme.ld b/libnvme/src/libnvme.ld
index e193665b05..961ca78d3c 100644
--- a/libnvme/src/libnvme.ld
+++ b/libnvme/src/libnvme.ld
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ LIBNVME_3 {
 		libnvme_transport_handle_set_submit_entry;
 		libnvme_transport_handle_set_submit_exit;
 		libnvme_unlink_ctrl;
+		libnvme_update_block_size;
 		libnvme_update_key;
 		libnvme_uuid_from_string;
 		libnvme_uuid_to_string;
diff --git a/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.c b/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.c
index 2fcd868019..522e96db2f 100644
--- a/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.c
+++ b/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.c
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include <linux/fs.h>
+
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 
@@ -93,6 +95,23 @@ __public int libnvme_get_nsid(struct libnvme_transport_handle *hdl, __u32 *nsid)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+__public int libnvme_update_block_size(struct libnvme_transport_handle *hdl,
+		int block_size)
+{
+	int ret;
+	int fd = libnvme_transport_handle_get_fd(hdl);
+
+	ret = ioctl(fd, BLKBSZSET, &block_size);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -errno;
+
+	ret = ioctl(fd, BLKRRPART);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -errno;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 void *__libnvme_submit_entry(struct libnvme_transport_handle *hdl,
 		struct libnvme_passthru_cmd *cmd)
 {
diff --git a/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.h b/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.h
index 7284ba39f8..bb89ca4321 100644
--- a/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.h
+++ b/libnvme/src/nvme/ioctl.h
@@ -96,3 +96,16 @@ int libnvme_rescan_ns(struct libnvme_transport_handle *hdl);
  * Return: 0 if @nsid was set successfully or -1 with errno set otherwise.
  */
 int libnvme_get_nsid(struct libnvme_transport_handle *hdl, __u32 *nsid);
+
+/**
+ * libnvme_update_block_size() - Update the block size
+ * @hdl:	Transport handle
+ * @block_size:	New block size
+ *
+ * Notify the kernel blkdev to update its block size after a block size change.
+ * This should only be used for namespace handles, not controllers.
+ *
+ * Return: 0 if the block size was updated or a negative error code otherwise.
+ */
+int libnvme_update_block_size(struct libnvme_transport_handle *hdl,
+		int block_size);
diff --git a/nvme.c b/nvme.c
index 65606ded5f..4cddf7b1f7 100644
--- a/nvme.c
+++ b/nvme.c
@@ -39,14 +39,10 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#include <linux/fs.h>
-
-#include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <sys/mman.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
-
 #include <libnvme.h>
 
 #include "common.h"
@@ -6813,19 +6809,12 @@ static int format_cmd(int argc, char **argv, struct command *acmd, struct plugin
 			 * to the given one because blkdev will not
 			 * update by itself without re-opening fd.
 			 */
-			if (ioctl(libnvme_transport_handle_get_fd(hdl), BLKBSZSET,
-				  &block_size) < 0) {
+			err = libnvme_update_block_size(hdl, block_size);
+			if (err < 0) {
 				nvme_show_error(
 				    "failed to set block size to %d",
 				    block_size);
-				return -errno;
-			}
-
-			if (ioctl(libnvme_transport_handle_get_fd(hdl),
-				  BLKRRPART) < 0) {
-				nvme_show_error(
-				    "failed to re-read partition table");
-				return -errno;
+				return err;
 			}
 		}
 	}