diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie_internal.h
index 5f7b08f9e..f1eb6c98c 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie_internal.h
@@ -241,6 +241,8 @@ nvme_pcie_qpair_update_mmio_required(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint16_t val
 		return true;
 	}
 
+	spdk_wmb();
+
 	old = *shadow_db;
 	*shadow_db = value;