diff --git a/lib/nvmf/tcp.c b/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
index 686f87184..79d1f853a 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
@@ -1921,7 +1921,9 @@ spdk_nvmf_tcp_sock_process(struct spdk_nvmf_tcp_qpair *tqpair)
 				return NVME_TCP_PDU_FATAL;
 			} else if (rc > 0) {
 				pdu->ch_valid_bytes += rc;
-				spdk_nvmf_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(tqpair, NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_CH);
+				if (spdk_likely(tqpair->recv_state == NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_READY)) {
+					spdk_nvmf_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(tqpair, NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_CH);
+				}
 			}
 
 			if (pdu->ch_valid_bytes < sizeof(struct spdk_nvme_tcp_common_pdu_hdr)) {