diff --git a/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c b/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
index 1375b38eb..22e5c9216 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/iscsi_subsystem.c
@@ -773,6 +773,13 @@ spdk_iscsi_initialize_iscsi_globals(struct spdk_iscsi_opts *opts)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (!spdk_iscsi_check_chap_params(opts->no_discovery_auth, opts->req_discovery_auth,
+					  opts->req_discovery_auth_mutual,
+					  opts->discovery_auth_group)) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("CHAP params in opts are illegal combination\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	g_spdk_iscsi.authfile = strdup(opts->authfile);
 	if (!g_spdk_iscsi.authfile) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("failed to strdup for auth file %s\n", opts->authfile);
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
index 3d8f09343..cc730de2b 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
@@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ spdk_check_iscsi_name(const char *name)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static bool
+bool
 spdk_iscsi_check_chap_params(bool disable, bool require, bool mutual, int group)
 {
 	if (group < 0) {
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.h b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.h
index 91b42bad0..60505ca03 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.h
+++ b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.h
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ spdk_iscsi_tgt_node_construct(int target_index,
 			      bool disable_chap, bool require_chap, bool mutual_chap, int chap_group,
 			      bool header_digest, bool data_digest);
 
+bool spdk_iscsi_check_chap_params(bool disable, bool require, bool mutual, int group);
+
 int spdk_iscsi_tgt_node_add_pg_ig_maps(struct spdk_iscsi_tgt_node *target,
 				       int *pg_tag_list, int *ig_tag_list,
 				       uint16_t num_maps);