diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
index 605649cf0..e7f2a99bc 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -637,9 +637,9 @@ _nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *r
 
 	if (spdk_likely(qpair->is_enabled)) {
 		rc = nvme_transport_qpair_submit_request(qpair, req);
-	} else if (nvme_qpair_is_admin_queue(qpair) && req->cmd.opc == SPDK_NVME_OPC_FABRIC) {
-		/* Always allow fabrics commands through on the admin qpair - these get
-		 *  the controller out of reset state.
+	} else if (req->cmd.opc == SPDK_NVME_OPC_FABRIC && qpair->is_connecting) {
+		/* Always allow fabrics commands through - these get
+		 * the controller out of reset state.
 		 */
 		rc = nvme_transport_qpair_submit_request(qpair, req);
 	} else {
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_transport.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_transport.c
index 3f7c9be4c..727b1267a 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_transport.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_transport.c
@@ -182,13 +182,9 @@ nvme_transport_ctrlr_delete_io_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_
 int
 nvme_transport_ctrlr_connect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 {
-	if (nvme_qpair_is_admin_queue(qpair)) {
-		qpair->is_connecting = 1;
-	}
+	qpair->is_connecting = 1;
 	NVME_TRANSPORT_CALL(ctrlr->trid.trtype, ctrlr_connect_qpair, (ctrlr, qpair));
-	if (nvme_qpair_is_admin_queue(qpair)) {
-		qpair->is_connecting = 0;
-	}
+	qpair->is_connecting = 0;
 }
 
 volatile struct spdk_nvme_registers *