diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
index 99c01a32d..d04aeca0a 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
@@ -871,14 +871,6 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_connect(struct nvme_rdma_qpair *rqpair)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	rc = nvme_rdma_alloc_reqs(rqpair);
-	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "rc =%d\n", rc);
-	if (rc) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to allocate rqpair RDMA requests\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
-	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "RDMA requests allocated\n");
-
 	rc = nvme_rdma_register_reqs(rqpair);
 	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "rc =%d\n", rc);
 	if (rc) {
@@ -887,14 +879,6 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_connect(struct nvme_rdma_qpair *rqpair)
 	}
 	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "RDMA requests registered\n");
 
-	rc = nvme_rdma_alloc_rsps(rqpair);
-	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "rc =%d\n", rc);
-	if (rc < 0) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to allocate rqpair RDMA responses\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
-	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "RDMA responses allocated\n");
-
 	rc = nvme_rdma_register_rsps(rqpair);
 	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "rc =%d\n", rc);
 	if (rc < 0) {
@@ -1317,6 +1301,22 @@ nvme_rdma_ctrlr_create_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	rc = nvme_rdma_alloc_reqs(rqpair);
+	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "rc =%d\n", rc);
+	if (rc) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to allocate rqpair RDMA requests\n");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "RDMA requests allocated\n");
+
+	rc = nvme_rdma_alloc_rsps(rqpair);
+	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "rc =%d\n", rc);
+	if (rc < 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to allocate rqpair RDMA responses\n");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "RDMA responses allocated\n");
+
 	rc = nvme_rdma_qpair_connect(rqpair);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		nvme_rdma_qpair_destroy(qpair);