diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index 399ae5f27..dc4e7faba 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ _nvmf_ctrlr_add_admin_qpair(void *ctx)
 	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr = qpair->ctrlr;
 
 	ctrlr->admin_qpair = qpair;
+	ctrlr->association_timeout = qpair->transport->opts.association_timeout;
 	nvmf_ctrlr_start_keep_alive_timer(ctrlr);
 	ctrlr_add_qpair_and_update_rsp(qpair, ctrlr, rsp);
 	_nvmf_request_complete(req);
@@ -851,7 +852,7 @@ nvmf_ctrlr_cc_shn_done(struct spdk_io_channel_iter *i, int status)
 		nvmf_ctrlr_stop_association_timer(ctrlr);
 	}
 	ctrlr->association_timer = SPDK_POLLER_REGISTER(nvmf_ctrlr_association_remove, ctrlr,
-				   ctrlr->admin_qpair->transport->opts.association_timeout * 1000);
+				   ctrlr->association_timeout * 1000);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -875,7 +876,7 @@ nvmf_ctrlr_cc_reset_done(struct spdk_io_channel_iter *i, int status)
 		nvmf_ctrlr_stop_association_timer(ctrlr);
 	}
 	ctrlr->association_timer = SPDK_POLLER_REGISTER(nvmf_ctrlr_association_remove, ctrlr,
-				   ctrlr->admin_qpair->transport->opts.association_timeout * 1000);
+				   ctrlr->association_timeout * 1000);
 }
 
 const struct spdk_nvmf_registers *
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
index 8565edbd5..976e96c30 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr {
 	uint8_t nr_aer_reqs;
 	struct spdk_uuid  hostid;
 
+	uint32_t association_timeout; /* in milliseconds */
 	uint16_t changed_ns_list_count;
 	struct spdk_nvme_ns_list changed_ns_list;
 	uint64_t log_page_count;