diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index 6a04f359c..0501b948b 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -167,6 +167,14 @@ ctrlr_add_qpair_and_update_rsp(struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *qpair,
 		      rsp->status_code_specific.success.cntlid);
 }
 
+static void
+_spdk_nvmf_request_complete(void *ctx)
+{
+	struct spdk_nvmf_request *req = ctx;
+
+	spdk_nvmf_request_complete(req);
+}
+
 static void
 spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_add_io_qpair(void *ctx)
 {
@@ -184,34 +192,34 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_add_io_qpair(void *ctx)
 	if (ctrlr->subsys->subtype == SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_DISCOVERY) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("I/O connect not allowed on discovery controller\n");
 		SPDK_NVMF_INVALID_CONNECT_CMD(rsp, qid);
-		return;
+		goto end;
 	}
 
 	if (!ctrlr->vcprop.cc.bits.en) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Got I/O connect before ctrlr was enabled\n");
 		SPDK_NVMF_INVALID_CONNECT_CMD(rsp, qid);
-		return;
+		goto end;
 	}
 
 	if (1u << ctrlr->vcprop.cc.bits.iosqes != sizeof(struct spdk_nvme_cmd)) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Got I/O connect with invalid IOSQES %u\n",
 			    ctrlr->vcprop.cc.bits.iosqes);
 		SPDK_NVMF_INVALID_CONNECT_CMD(rsp, qid);
-		return;
+		goto end;
 	}
 
 	if (1u << ctrlr->vcprop.cc.bits.iocqes != sizeof(struct spdk_nvme_cpl)) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Got I/O connect with invalid IOCQES %u\n",
 			    ctrlr->vcprop.cc.bits.iocqes);
 		SPDK_NVMF_INVALID_CONNECT_CMD(rsp, qid);
-		return;
+		goto end;
 	}
 
 	if (spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_get_qpair(ctrlr, cmd->qid)) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Got I/O connect with duplicate QID %u\n", cmd->qid);
 		rsp->status.sct = SPDK_NVME_SCT_GENERIC;
 		rsp->status.sc = SPDK_NVME_SC_COMMAND_SEQUENCE_ERROR;
-		return;
+		goto end;
 	}
 
 	/* check if we would exceed ctrlr connection limit */
@@ -219,10 +227,13 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_add_io_qpair(void *ctx)
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("qpair limit %d\n", ctrlr->num_qpairs);
 		rsp->status.sct = SPDK_NVME_SCT_COMMAND_SPECIFIC;
 		rsp->status.sc = SPDK_NVMF_FABRIC_SC_CONTROLLER_BUSY;
-		return;
+		goto end;
 	}
 
 	ctrlr_add_qpair_and_update_rsp(qpair, ctrlr, rsp);
+
+end:
+	spdk_thread_send_msg(qpair->group->thread, _spdk_nvmf_request_complete, req);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -251,6 +262,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *qpair = req->qpair;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_tgt *tgt = qpair->transport->tgt;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *admin_qpair = NULL;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem;
 	const char *subnqn, *hostnqn;
 	void *end;
@@ -347,6 +359,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 			return SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE;
 		}
 
+		ctrlr->admin_qpair = qpair;
 		ctrlr_add_qpair_and_update_rsp(qpair, ctrlr, rsp);
 		return SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE;
 	} else {
@@ -359,16 +372,20 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 			return SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE;
 		}
 
+		admin_qpair = ctrlr->admin_qpair;
 		qpair->ctrlr = ctrlr;
-		spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_add_io_qpair(req);
-		return SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE;
+		spdk_thread_send_msg(admin_qpair->group->thread, spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_add_io_qpair, req);
+		return SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS;
 	}
 }
 
 void
 spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_disconnect(struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *qpair)
 {
-	ctrlr_delete_qpair(qpair);
+	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr = qpair->ctrlr;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *admin_qpair = ctrlr->admin_qpair;
+
+	spdk_thread_send_msg(admin_qpair->group->thread, ctrlr_delete_qpair, qpair);
 }
 
 struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
index 389a3752d..0ec48b361 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_tgt_create_poll_group(void *io_device, void *ctx_buf)
 	}
 
 	group->poller = spdk_poller_register(spdk_nvmf_poll_group_poll, group, 0);
+	group->thread = spdk_get_thread();
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
index cf6b90e77..83c9d2548 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem_poll_group {
 };
 
 struct spdk_nvmf_poll_group {
+	struct spdk_thread				*thread;
 	struct spdk_poller				*poller;
 
 	TAILQ_HEAD(, spdk_nvmf_transport_poll_group)	tgroups;
@@ -168,6 +169,7 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr {
 		union spdk_nvme_csts_register	csts;
 	} vcprop; /* virtual controller properties */
 
+	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *admin_qpair;
 	TAILQ_HEAD(, spdk_nvmf_qpair) qpairs;
 	int num_qpairs;
 	int max_qpairs_allowed;
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
index c5043f70e..3273bff2e 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
@@ -223,6 +223,12 @@ nvme_status_success(const struct spdk_nvme_status *status)
 	return status->sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_GENERIC && status->sc == SPDK_NVME_SC_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+void
+spdk_thread_send_msg(const struct spdk_thread *thread, spdk_thread_fn fn, void *ctx)
+{
+	fn(ctx);
+}
+
 static void
 test_connect(void)
 {
@@ -231,6 +237,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 	struct spdk_nvmf_transport transport;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem subsystem;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_request req;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair admin_qpair;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair qpair;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair qpair2;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr ctrlr;
@@ -255,6 +262,10 @@ test_connect(void)
 	ctrlr.vcprop.cc.bits.iocqes = 4;
 	ctrlr.max_qpairs_allowed = 3;
 
+	memset(&admin_qpair, 0, sizeof(admin_qpair));
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&ctrlr.qpairs, &admin_qpair, link);
+	admin_qpair.group = &group;
+
 	memset(&tgt, 0, sizeof(tgt));
 	tgt.opts.max_queue_depth = 64;
 	tgt.opts.max_qpairs_per_ctrlr = 3;
@@ -264,6 +275,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 
 	memset(&qpair, 0, sizeof(qpair));
 	qpair.transport = &transport;
+	qpair.group = &group;
 
 	memset(&connect_data, 0, sizeof(connect_data));
 	memcpy(connect_data.hostid, hostid, sizeof(hostid));
@@ -410,12 +422,15 @@ test_connect(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr == NULL);
 	connect_data.cntlid = 0xFFFF;
 
+	ctrlr.admin_qpair = &admin_qpair;
+	ctrlr.subsys = &subsystem;
+
 	/* Valid I/O queue connect command */
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	MOCK_SET(spdk_nvmf_subsystem_get_ctrlr, struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *, &ctrlr);
 	cmd.connect_cmd.qid = 1;
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_status_success(&rsp.nvme_cpl.status));
 	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr == &ctrlr);
 	qpair.ctrlr = NULL;
@@ -438,7 +453,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	subsystem.subtype = SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_DISCOVERY;
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_COMMAND_SPECIFIC);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sc == SPDK_NVMF_FABRIC_SC_INVALID_PARAM);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.connect_rsp.status_code_specific.invalid.iattr == 0);
@@ -450,7 +465,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	ctrlr.vcprop.cc.bits.en = 0;
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_COMMAND_SPECIFIC);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sc == SPDK_NVMF_FABRIC_SC_INVALID_PARAM);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.connect_rsp.status_code_specific.invalid.iattr == 0);
@@ -462,7 +477,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	ctrlr.vcprop.cc.bits.iosqes = 3;
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_COMMAND_SPECIFIC);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sc == SPDK_NVMF_FABRIC_SC_INVALID_PARAM);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.connect_rsp.status_code_specific.invalid.iattr == 0);
@@ -474,7 +489,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	ctrlr.vcprop.cc.bits.iocqes = 3;
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_COMMAND_SPECIFIC);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sc == SPDK_NVMF_FABRIC_SC_INVALID_PARAM);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.connect_rsp.status_code_specific.invalid.iattr == 0);
@@ -486,7 +501,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	ctrlr.num_qpairs = 3;
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_COMMAND_SPECIFIC);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sc == SPDK_NVMF_FABRIC_SC_CONTROLLER_BUSY);
 	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr == NULL);
@@ -495,11 +510,12 @@ test_connect(void)
 	/* I/O connect with duplicate queue ID */
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	memset(&qpair2, 0, sizeof(qpair2));
+	qpair2.group = &group;
 	qpair2.qid = 1;
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&ctrlr.qpairs, &qpair, link);
 	cmd.connect_cmd.qid = 1;
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_GENERIC);
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sc == SPDK_NVME_SC_COMMAND_SEQUENCE_ERROR);
 	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr == NULL);