diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
index 74d076540..d281152dd 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
@@ -1629,7 +1629,7 @@ static void
 nvme_rdma_ctrlr_disconnect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 {
 	struct nvme_rdma_qpair *rqpair = nvme_rdma_qpair(qpair);
-	struct nvme_rdma_ctrlr *rctrlr;
+	struct nvme_rdma_ctrlr *rctrlr = NULL;
 	struct nvme_rdma_cm_event_entry *entry, *tmp;
 
 	nvme_rdma_unregister_mem(rqpair);
@@ -1658,8 +1658,7 @@ nvme_rdma_ctrlr_disconnect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme
 
 	if (rqpair->cm_id) {
 		rdma_disconnect(rqpair->cm_id);
-		if (qpair->ctrlr != NULL) {
-
+		if (rctrlr != NULL) {
 			if (nvme_rdma_process_event(rqpair, rctrlr->cm_channel, RDMA_CM_EVENT_DISCONNECTED)) {
 				SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "Target did not respond to qpair disconnect.\n");
 			}