diff --git a/nbd/server.c b/nbd/server.c
index f64e47270c..2076fb2666 100644
--- a/nbd/server.c
+++ b/nbd/server.c
@@ -2026,6 +2026,7 @@ static void nbd_export_delete(BlockExport *blk_exp)
 const BlockExportDriver blk_exp_nbd = {
     .type               = BLOCK_EXPORT_TYPE_NBD,
     .instance_size      = sizeof(NBDExport),
+    .supports_inactive  = true,
     .create             = nbd_export_create,
     .delete             = nbd_export_delete,
     .request_shutdown   = nbd_export_request_shutdown,
@@ -2920,6 +2921,22 @@ static coroutine_fn int nbd_handle_request(NBDClient *client,
     NBDExport *exp = client->exp;
     char *msg;
     size_t i;
+    bool inactive;
+
+    WITH_GRAPH_RDLOCK_GUARD() {
+        inactive = bdrv_is_inactive(blk_bs(exp->common.blk));
+        if (inactive) {
+            switch (request->type) {
+            case NBD_CMD_READ:
+                /* These commands are allowed on inactive nodes */
+                break;
+            default:
+                /* Return an error for the rest */
+                return nbd_send_generic_reply(client, request, -EPERM,
+                                              "export is inactive", errp);
+            }
+        }
+    }
 
     switch (request->type) {
     case NBD_CMD_CACHE: