diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index a4ce05f68..f1d0911a5 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -903,10 +903,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_state_string(enum nvme_ctrlr_state state)
 		return "set number of queues";
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_SET_NUM_QUEUES:
 		return "wait for set number of queues";
-	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES:
-		return "get number of queues";
-	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_GET_NUM_QUEUES:
-		return "wait for get number of queues";
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS:
 		return "construct namespaces";
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS:
@@ -1522,18 +1518,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_identify_id_desc_namespaces(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	return rc;
 }
 
-static void
-nvme_ctrlr_set_num_queues_done(void *arg, const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cpl)
-{
-	struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr = (struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *)arg;
-
-	if (spdk_nvme_cpl_is_error(cpl)) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Set Features - Number of Queues failed!\n");
-	}
-	nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES,
-			     ctrlr->opts.admin_timeout_ms);
-}
-
 static void
 nvme_ctrlr_update_nvmf_ioccsz(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 {
@@ -1551,41 +1535,14 @@ nvme_ctrlr_update_nvmf_ioccsz(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	}
 }
 
-static int
-nvme_ctrlr_set_num_queues(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
-{
-	int rc;
-
-	if (ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues > SPDK_NVME_MAX_IO_QUEUES) {
-		SPDK_NOTICELOG("Limiting requested num_io_queues %u to max %d\n",
-			       ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues, SPDK_NVME_MAX_IO_QUEUES);
-		ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues = SPDK_NVME_MAX_IO_QUEUES;
-	} else if (ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues < 1) {
-		SPDK_NOTICELOG("Requested num_io_queues 0, increasing to 1\n");
-		ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues = 1;
-	}
-
-	nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_SET_NUM_QUEUES,
-			     ctrlr->opts.admin_timeout_ms);
-
-	rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_num_queues(ctrlr, ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues,
-					   nvme_ctrlr_set_num_queues_done, ctrlr);
-	if (rc != 0) {
-		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_ERROR, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
-		return rc;
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static void
-nvme_ctrlr_get_num_queues_done(void *arg, const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cpl)
+nvme_ctrlr_set_num_queues_done(void *arg, const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cpl)
 {
 	uint32_t cq_allocated, sq_allocated, min_allocated, i;
 	struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr = (struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *)arg;
 
 	if (spdk_nvme_cpl_is_error(cpl)) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Get Features - Number of Queues failed!\n");
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Set Features - Number of Queues failed!\n");
 		ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues = 0;
 	} else {
 		/*
@@ -1622,15 +1579,24 @@ nvme_ctrlr_get_num_queues_done(void *arg, const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cpl)
 }
 
 static int
-nvme_ctrlr_get_num_queues(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
+nvme_ctrlr_set_num_queues(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 {
 	int rc;
 
-	nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_GET_NUM_QUEUES,
+	if (ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues > SPDK_NVME_MAX_IO_QUEUES) {
+		SPDK_NOTICELOG("Limiting requested num_io_queues %u to max %d\n",
+			       ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues, SPDK_NVME_MAX_IO_QUEUES);
+		ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues = SPDK_NVME_MAX_IO_QUEUES;
+	} else if (ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues < 1) {
+		SPDK_NOTICELOG("Requested num_io_queues 0, increasing to 1\n");
+		ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues = 1;
+	}
+
+	nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_SET_NUM_QUEUES,
 			     ctrlr->opts.admin_timeout_ms);
 
-	/* Obtain the number of queues allocated using Get Features. */
-	rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_get_num_queues(ctrlr, nvme_ctrlr_get_num_queues_done, ctrlr);
+	rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_num_queues(ctrlr, ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues,
+					   nvme_ctrlr_set_num_queues_done, ctrlr);
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_ERROR, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
 		return rc;
@@ -2452,14 +2418,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_process_init(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 		spdk_nvme_qpair_process_completions(ctrlr->adminq, 0);
 		break;
 
-	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES:
-		rc = nvme_ctrlr_get_num_queues(ctrlr);
-		break;
-
-	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_GET_NUM_QUEUES:
-		spdk_nvme_qpair_process_completions(ctrlr->adminq, 0);
-		break;
-
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS:
 		rc = nvme_ctrlr_construct_namespaces(ctrlr);
 		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS,
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index a8251fc85..6dceb4a0f 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -492,16 +492,6 @@ enum nvme_ctrlr_state {
 	 */
 	NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_SET_NUM_QUEUES,
 
-	/**
-	 * Get Number of Queues of the controller.
-	 */
-	NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES,
-
-	/**
-	 * Waiting for Get Num of Queues command to be completed.
-	 */
-	NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_GET_NUM_QUEUES,
-
 	/**
 	 * Construct Namespace data structures of the controller.
 	 */
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
index 3af78379e..3f637b734 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
@@ -362,8 +362,8 @@ int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_get_num_queues(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 			      spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
-	fake_cpl_success(cb_fn, cb_arg);
-	return 0;
+	CU_ASSERT(0);
+	return -1;
 }
 
 int
@@ -1982,11 +1982,13 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_NUM_QUEUES);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 0);
 
+	nvme_ctrlr_destruct(&ctrlr);
+
 	/* Check RDMA trtype, */
 	ctrlr.trid.trtype = SPDK_NVME_TRANSPORT_RDMA;
 
@@ -1994,13 +1996,15 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_NUM_QUEUES);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 4096);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 1);
 	ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes = 0;
 	ctrlr.icdoff = 0;
 
+	nvme_ctrlr_destruct(&ctrlr);
+
 	/* Check TCP trtype, */
 	ctrlr.trid.trtype = SPDK_NVME_TRANSPORT_TCP;
 
@@ -2008,13 +2012,15 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_NUM_QUEUES);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 4096);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 1);
 	ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes = 0;
 	ctrlr.icdoff = 0;
 
+	nvme_ctrlr_destruct(&ctrlr);
+
 	/* Check FC trtype, */
 	ctrlr.trid.trtype = SPDK_NVME_TRANSPORT_FC;
 
@@ -2022,13 +2028,15 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_NUM_QUEUES);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 4096);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 1);
 	ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes = 0;
 	ctrlr.icdoff = 0;
 
+	nvme_ctrlr_destruct(&ctrlr);
+
 	/* Check CUSTOM trtype, */
 	ctrlr.trid.trtype = SPDK_NVME_TRANSPORT_CUSTOM;
 
@@ -2036,10 +2044,12 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_NUM_QUEUES);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_GET_NUM_QUEUES);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 0);
+
+	nvme_ctrlr_destruct(&ctrlr);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)