diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
index 83c947eda..e458a8215 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_tgt {
 };
 
 struct spdk_nvmf_host {
-	char				*nqn;
+	char				nqn[SPDK_NVMF_NQN_MAX_LEN + 1];
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_nvmf_host)	link;
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
index 15e6753ff..96f931b9e 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
@@ -308,7 +308,6 @@ static void
 _spdk_nvmf_subsystem_remove_host(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem, struct spdk_nvmf_host *host)
 {
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&subsystem->hosts, host, link);
-	free(host->nqn);
 	free(host);
 }
 
@@ -648,11 +647,8 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_add_host(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem, const char *
 	if (!host) {
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
-	host->nqn = strdup(hostnqn);
-	if (!host->nqn) {
-		free(host);
-		return -ENOMEM;
-	}
+
+	snprintf(host->nqn, sizeof(host->nqn), "%s", hostnqn);
 
 	TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&subsystem->hosts, host, link);
 	subsystem->tgt->discovery_genctr++;