diff --git a/lib/nvmf/rdma.c b/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
index ff798a9c0..e8ad4416a 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
@@ -1754,15 +1754,11 @@ nvmf_rdma_request_fill_iovs_multi_sgl(struct spdk_nvmf_rdma_transport *rtranspor
 		num_buffers += SPDK_CEIL_DIV(desc->keyed.length, rtransport->transport.opts.io_unit_size);
 		desc++;
 	}
-	/* If the number of buffers is too large, then we know the I/O is larger than allowed. Fail it. */
-	if (num_buffers > NVMF_REQ_MAX_BUFFERS) {
+	rc = spdk_nvmf_request_get_buffers(req, &rgroup->group, &rtransport->transport,
+					   num_buffers);
+	if (rc != 0) {
 		nvmf_rdma_request_free_data(rdma_req, rtransport);
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-	if (spdk_nvmf_request_get_buffers(req, &rgroup->group, &rtransport->transport,
-					  num_buffers) != 0) {
-		nvmf_rdma_request_free_data(rdma_req, rtransport);
-		return -ENOMEM;
+		return rc;
 	}
 
 	/* The first WR must always be the embedded data WR. This is how we unwind them later. */
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/transport.c b/lib/nvmf/transport.c
index 3f852a350..8611e2f57 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/transport.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/transport.c
@@ -397,6 +397,13 @@ spdk_nvmf_request_get_buffers(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req,
 {
 	uint32_t i = 0;
 
+	/* If the number of buffers is too large, then we know the I/O is larger than allowed.
+	 *  Fail it.
+	 */
+	if (num_buffers + req->num_buffers > NVMF_REQ_MAX_BUFFERS) {
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	while (i < num_buffers) {
 		if (!(STAILQ_EMPTY(&group->buf_cache))) {
 			group->buf_cache_count--;
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/rdma.c/rdma_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/rdma.c/rdma_ut.c
index 4d8dc4a04..359ee5e39 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/rdma.c/rdma_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/rdma.c/rdma_ut.c
@@ -111,6 +111,13 @@ spdk_nvmf_request_get_buffers(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req,
 {
 	uint32_t i = 0;
 
+	/* If the number of buffers is too large, then we know the I/O is larger than allowed.
+	 *  Fail it.
+	 */
+	if (num_buffers + req->num_buffers > NVMF_REQ_MAX_BUFFERS) {
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	while (i < num_buffers) {
 		if (!(STAILQ_EMPTY(&group->buf_cache))) {
 			group->buf_cache_count--;