diff --git a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
index e13a80e49..1ae75d83e 100644
--- a/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
+++ b/lib/ftl/ftl_core.c
@@ -733,10 +733,14 @@ ftl_submit_read(struct ftl_io *io, ftl_next_ppa_fn next_ppa,
 					   ftl_io_iovec_addr(io),
 					   ftl_ppa_addr_pack(io->dev, ppa), lbk_cnt,
 					   ftl_io_cmpl_cb, io, 0);
-		if (rc) {
+
+		if (rc != 0 && rc != -ENOMEM) {
 			SPDK_ERRLOG("spdk_nvme_ns_cmd_read failed with status: %d\n", rc);
 			io->status = -EIO;
 			break;
+		} else if (rc == -ENOMEM) {
+			io->status = rc;
+			break;
 		}
 
 		ftl_io_update_iovec(io, lbk_cnt);