diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index c0b691aea..31ed06670 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -814,6 +814,10 @@ nvmf_ctrlr_cc_shn_done(struct spdk_io_channel_iter *i, int status)
 
 	/* After CC.EN transitions to 0 (due to shutdown or reset), the association
 	 * between the host and controller shall be preserved for at least 2 minutes */
+	if (ctrlr->association_timer) {
+		SPDK_DEBUGLOG(nvmf, "Association timer already set\n");
+		nvmf_ctrlr_stop_association_timer(ctrlr);
+	}
 	ctrlr->association_timer = SPDK_POLLER_REGISTER(nvmf_ctrlr_association_remove, ctrlr,
 				   ctrlr->admin_qpair->transport->opts.association_timeout * 1000);
 }
@@ -834,6 +838,10 @@ nvmf_ctrlr_cc_reset_done(struct spdk_io_channel_iter *i, int status)
 
 	/* After CC.EN transitions to 0 (due to shutdown or reset), the association
 	 * between the host and controller shall be preserved for at least 2 minutes */
+	if (ctrlr->association_timer) {
+		SPDK_DEBUGLOG(nvmf, "Association timer already set\n");
+		nvmf_ctrlr_stop_association_timer(ctrlr);
+	}
 	ctrlr->association_timer = SPDK_POLLER_REGISTER(nvmf_ctrlr_association_remove, ctrlr,
 				   ctrlr->admin_qpair->transport->opts.association_timeout * 1000);
 }