diff --git a/module/zfs/vdev_disk.c b/module/zfs/vdev_disk.c
index ed79ede7c..661f0f1b7 100644
--- a/module/zfs/vdev_disk.c
+++ b/module/zfs/vdev_disk.c
@@ -38,9 +38,21 @@
 #include <linux/msdos_fs.h>
 #include <linux/vfs_compat.h>
 
+/*
+ * Unique identifier for the exclusive vdev holder.
+ */
 static void *zfs_vdev_holder = VDEV_HOLDER;
 
-/* size of the "reserved" partition, in blocks */
+/*
+ * Wait up to zfs_vdev_open_timeout_ms milliseconds before determining the
+ * device is missing. The missing path may be transient since the links
+ * can be briefly removed and recreated in response to udev events.
+ */
+static unsigned zfs_vdev_open_timeout_ms = 1000;
+
+/*
+ * Size of the "reserved" partition, in blocks.
+ */
 #define	EFI_MIN_RESV_SIZE	(16 * 1024)
 
 /*
@@ -165,8 +177,7 @@ vdev_disk_open(vdev_t *v, uint64_t *psize, uint64_t *max_psize,
 {
 	struct block_device *bdev;
 	fmode_t mode = vdev_bdev_mode(spa_mode(v->vdev_spa));
-	int count = 0, block_size;
-	int bdev_retry_count = 50;
+	hrtime_t timeout = MSEC2NSEC(zfs_vdev_open_timeout_ms);
 	vdev_disk_t *vd;
 
 	/* Must have a pathname and it must be absolute. */
@@ -181,7 +192,7 @@ vdev_disk_open(vdev_t *v, uint64_t *psize, uint64_t *max_psize,
 	 * partition force re-scanning the partition table while closed
 	 * in order to get an accurate updated block device size.  Then
 	 * since udev may need to recreate the device links increase the
-	 * open retry count before reporting the device as unavailable.
+	 * open retry timeout before reporting the device as unavailable.
 	 */
 	vd = v->vdev_tsd;
 	if (vd) {
@@ -206,8 +217,10 @@ vdev_disk_open(vdev_t *v, uint64_t *psize, uint64_t *max_psize,
 			if (!IS_ERR(bdev)) {
 				int error = vdev_bdev_reread_part(bdev);
 				vdev_bdev_close(bdev, mode);
-				if (error == 0)
-					bdev_retry_count = 100;
+				if (error == 0) {
+					timeout = MSEC2NSEC(
+					    zfs_vdev_open_timeout_ms * 2);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -240,12 +253,12 @@ vdev_disk_open(vdev_t *v, uint64_t *psize, uint64_t *max_psize,
 	 * and it is reasonable to sleep and retry before giving up.  In
 	 * practice delays have been observed to be on the order of 100ms.
 	 */
+	hrtime_t start = gethrtime();
 	bdev = ERR_PTR(-ENXIO);
-	while (IS_ERR(bdev) && count < bdev_retry_count) {
+	while (IS_ERR(bdev) && ((gethrtime() - start) < timeout)) {
 		bdev = vdev_bdev_open(v->vdev_path, mode, zfs_vdev_holder);
 		if (unlikely(PTR_ERR(bdev) == -ENOENT)) {
 			schedule_timeout(MSEC_TO_TICK(10));
-			count++;
 		} else if (IS_ERR(bdev)) {
 			break;
 		}
@@ -253,7 +266,9 @@ vdev_disk_open(vdev_t *v, uint64_t *psize, uint64_t *max_psize,
 
 	if (IS_ERR(bdev)) {
 		int error = -PTR_ERR(bdev);
-		vdev_dbgmsg(v, "open error=%d count=%d", error, count);
+		vdev_dbgmsg(v, "open error=%d timeout=%llu/%llu", error,
+		    (u_longlong_t)(gethrtime() - start),
+		    (u_longlong_t)timeout);
 		vd->vd_bdev = NULL;
 		v->vdev_tsd = vd;
 		rw_exit(&vd->vd_lock);
@@ -267,7 +282,7 @@ vdev_disk_open(vdev_t *v, uint64_t *psize, uint64_t *max_psize,
 	struct request_queue *q = bdev_get_queue(vd->vd_bdev);
 
 	/*  Determine the physical block size */
-	block_size = vdev_bdev_block_size(vd->vd_bdev);
+	int block_size = vdev_bdev_block_size(vd->vd_bdev);
 
 	/* Clear the nowritecache bit, causes vdev_reopen() to try again. */
 	v->vdev_nowritecache = B_FALSE;