diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_cmd.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_cmd.c
index 889b266da..55ef8fc7d 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_cmd.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_cmd.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ _nvme_ns_cmd_split_request(struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns,
 	uint32_t		sector_size = ns->sector_size;
 	uint32_t		remaining_lba_count = lba_count;
 	uint32_t		offset = 0;
-	struct nvme_request	*child;
+	struct nvme_request	*child, *tmp;
 
 	while (remaining_lba_count > 0) {
 		lba_count = sectors_per_max_io - (lba & sector_mask);
@@ -100,7 +100,14 @@ _nvme_ns_cmd_split_request(struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns,
 		child = _nvme_ns_cmd_rw(ns, payload, lba, lba_count, cb_fn,
 					cb_arg, opc, io_flags);
 		if (child == NULL) {
-			nvme_free_request(req);
+			if (req->num_children) {
+				/* free all child nvme_request  */
+				TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(child, &req->children,
+						   child_tailq, tmp) {
+					nvme_remove_child_request(req, child);
+					nvme_free_request(child);
+				}
+			}
 			return NULL;
 		}
 		child->payload_offset = offset;
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
index 85bbca890..2137151f5 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -813,10 +813,11 @@ _nvme_qpair_build_prps_sgl_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_re
 int
 nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *req)
 {
-	int			rc;
+	int			rc = 0;
 	struct nvme_tracker	*tr;
-	struct nvme_request	*child_req;
+	struct nvme_request	*child_req, *tmp;
 	struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr	*ctrlr = qpair->ctrlr;
+	bool			child_req_failed = false;
 
 	if (ctrlr->is_failed) {
 		nvme_free_request(req);
@@ -830,13 +831,18 @@ nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *re
 		 * This is a split (parent) request. Submit all of the children but not the parent
 		 * request itself, since the parent is the original unsplit request.
 		 */
-		TAILQ_FOREACH(child_req, &req->children, child_tailq) {
-			rc = nvme_qpair_submit_request(qpair, child_req);
-			if (rc != 0) {
-				return rc;
+		TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(child_req, &req->children, child_tailq, tmp) {
+			if (!child_req_failed) {
+				rc = nvme_qpair_submit_request(qpair, child_req);
+				if (rc != 0)
+					child_req_failed = true;
+			} else { /* free remaining child_reqs since one child_req fails */
+				nvme_remove_child_request(req, child_req);
+				nvme_free_request(child_req);
 			}
 		}
-		return 0;
+
+		return rc;
 	}
 
 	tr = LIST_FIRST(&qpair->free_tr);