diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index 267764983..9262dcd1b 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -960,6 +960,15 @@ nvme_free_request(struct nvme_request *req)
 	STAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&req->qpair->free_req, req, stailq);
 }
 
+static inline void
+nvme_qpair_free_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *req)
+{
+	assert(req != NULL);
+	assert(req->num_children == 0);
+
+	STAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&qpair->free_req, req, stailq);
+}
+
 void	nvme_request_remove_child(struct nvme_request *parent, struct nvme_request *child);
 int	nvme_request_check_timeout(struct nvme_request *req, uint16_t cid,
 				   struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_process *active_proc, uint64_t now_tick);
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
index d6c16ba71..1d89cbb95 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
@@ -1316,7 +1316,7 @@ nvme_pcie_qpair_complete_tracker(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_trac
 		}
 
 		if (req_from_current_proc == true) {
-			nvme_free_request(req);
+			nvme_qpair_free_request(qpair, req);
 		}
 
 		tr->req = NULL;