diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
index 11472204d..f10a3edfe 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ nvme_tcp_qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr)
 	}
 }
 
-static void
+static inline void
 nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(struct nvme_tcp_qpair *tqpair,
 			      enum nvme_tcp_pdu_recv_state state)
 {
@@ -810,19 +810,7 @@ nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(struct nvme_tcp_qpair *tqpair,
 			    tqpair, state);
 		return;
 	}
-
 	tqpair->recv_state = state;
-	switch (state) {
-	case NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_READY:
-	case NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_ERROR:
-		memset(tqpair->recv_pdu, 0, sizeof(struct nvme_tcp_pdu));
-		break;
-	case NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_CH:
-	case NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_PSH:
-	case NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_PAYLOAD:
-	default:
-		break;
-	}
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1623,6 +1611,7 @@ nvme_tcp_read_pdu(struct nvme_tcp_qpair *tqpair, uint32_t *reaped)
 		switch (tqpair->recv_state) {
 		/* If in a new state */
 		case NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_READY:
+			memset(tqpair->recv_pdu, 0, sizeof(struct nvme_tcp_pdu));
 			nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(tqpair, NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_CH);
 			break;
 		/* common header */
@@ -1698,6 +1687,7 @@ nvme_tcp_read_pdu(struct nvme_tcp_qpair *tqpair, uint32_t *reaped)
 			nvme_tcp_pdu_payload_handle(tqpair, reaped);
 			break;
 		case NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_ERROR:
+			memset(tqpair->recv_pdu, 0, sizeof(struct nvme_tcp_pdu));
 			rc = NVME_TCP_PDU_FATAL;
 			break;
 		default:
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c/nvme_tcp_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c/nvme_tcp_ut.c
index 3c223f296..5c07c0c03 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c/nvme_tcp_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c/nvme_tcp_ut.c
@@ -787,46 +787,15 @@ static void
 test_nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(void)
 {
 	struct nvme_tcp_qpair tqpair = {};
-	enum nvme_tcp_pdu_recv_state state;
-	struct nvme_tcp_pdu recv_pdu = {};
-
-	tqpair.recv_pdu = &recv_pdu;
 
 	/* case1: The recv state of tqpair is same with the state to be set */
 	tqpair.recv_state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_ERROR;
-	state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_ERROR;
-	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, state);
-	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_state == state);
-
-	/* case2: The recv state of tqpair is different with the state to be set */
-	/* state is NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_READY or NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_ERROR, tqpair->recv_pdu will be cleared */
-	tqpair.recv_pdu->cb_arg = (void *)0xDEADBEEF;
-	state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_READY;
-	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, state);
-	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_state == NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_READY);
-	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_pdu->cb_arg == (void *)0x0);
-
-	tqpair.recv_pdu->cb_arg = (void *)0xDEADBEEF;
-	state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_ERROR;
-	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, state);
+	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_ERROR);
 	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_state == NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_ERROR);
-	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_pdu->cb_arg == (void *)0x0);
 
-	/* state is NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_CH or NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_PSH or NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_PAYLOAD or default */
-	state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_CH;
-	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, state);
-	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_state == NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_CH);
-
-	state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_PSH;
-	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, state);
-	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_state == NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_PSH);
-
-	state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_PAYLOAD;
-	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, state);
-	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_state == NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_PAYLOAD);
-
-	state = 0xff;
-	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, state);
+	/* Different state will be set accordingly */
+	tqpair.recv_state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_READY;
+	nvme_tcp_qpair_set_recv_state(&tqpair, 0xff);
 	CU_ASSERT(tqpair.recv_state == 0xff);
 }
 
@@ -1424,6 +1393,10 @@ test_nvme_tcp_ctrlr_connect_qpair(void)
 	rc = nvme_tcp_ctrlr_connect_qpair(&ctrlr, qpair);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 
+	/* skip NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_READY state */
+	/* assume already received the icresp */
+	tqpair->recv_state = NVME_TCP_PDU_RECV_STATE_AWAIT_PDU_CH;
+
 	while (nvme_qpair_get_state(qpair) == NVME_QPAIR_CONNECTING) {
 		rc = nvme_tcp_qpair_process_completions(qpair, 0);
 		CU_ASSERT(rc >= 0);