diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
index 7e3b02fd6..14c99f477 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
@@ -672,6 +672,13 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_connect(struct nvme_rdma_qpair *rqpair)
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("nvme_rdma_qpair_init() failed\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
+
+	rc = nvme_rdma_connect(rqpair);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to connect the rqpair\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	rc = nvme_rdma_alloc_reqs(rqpair);
 	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "rc =%d\n", rc);
 	if (rc) {
@@ -688,12 +695,6 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_connect(struct nvme_rdma_qpair *rqpair)
 	}
 	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "RDMA responses allocated\n");
 
-	rc = nvme_rdma_connect(rqpair);
-	if (rc != 0) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to connect the rqpair\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
-
 	return 0;
 }