diff --git a/test/external_code/nvme/nvme.c b/test/external_code/nvme/nvme.c
index 9ce61cb75..0540f3bf3 100644
--- a/test/external_code/nvme/nvme.c
+++ b/test/external_code/nvme/nvme.c
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ struct nvme_ctrlr {
 	uint32_t				page_size;
 	/* Admin queue pair */
 	struct nvme_qpair			*admin_qpair;
+	/* Controller's identify data */
+	struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_data		*cdata;
 	/* State of the controller */
 	enum nvme_ctrlr_state			state;
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(nvme_ctrlr)			tailq;
@@ -332,11 +334,21 @@ pcie_enum_cb(void *ctx, struct spdk_pci_device *pci_dev)
 	ctrlr->page_size = 1 << (12 + cap.bits.mpsmin);
 	ctrlr->doorbell_stride_u32 = 1 << cap.bits.dstrd;
 
+	ctrlr->cdata = spdk_zmalloc(sizeof(*ctrlr->cdata), ctrlr->page_size, NULL,
+				    SPDK_ENV_SOCKET_ID_ANY, SPDK_MALLOC_DMA);
+	if (!ctrlr->cdata) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to allocate identify data for NVMe controller: %s\n", addr);
+		spdk_pci_device_unclaim(pci_dev);
+		free(ctrlr);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	/* Initialize admin queue pair with minimum number of entries (2) */
 	ctrlr->admin_qpair = init_qpair(ctrlr, 0, SPDK_NVME_ADMIN_QUEUE_MIN_ENTRIES);
 	if (!ctrlr->admin_qpair) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to initialize admin queue pair for controller: %s\n", addr);
 		spdk_pci_device_unclaim(pci_dev);
+		spdk_free(ctrlr->cdata);
 		free(ctrlr);
 		return -1;
 	}
@@ -418,6 +430,7 @@ free_ctrlr(struct nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	spdk_pci_device_unclaim(ctrlr->pci_device);
 	spdk_pci_device_detach(ctrlr->pci_device);
 	free_qpair(ctrlr->admin_qpair);
+	spdk_free(ctrlr->cdata);
 	free(ctrlr);
 }
 
@@ -497,4 +510,10 @@ nvme_detach(struct nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	free_ctrlr(ctrlr);
 }
 
+const struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_data *
+nvme_ctrlr_get_data(struct nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
+{
+	return ctrlr->cdata;
+}
+
 SPDK_LOG_REGISTER_COMPONENT(nvme_external)
diff --git a/test/external_code/nvme/nvme.h b/test/external_code/nvme/nvme.h
index ddce395ff..1d709ac04 100644
--- a/test/external_code/nvme/nvme.h
+++ b/test/external_code/nvme/nvme.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #define EXTERNAL_NVME_H
 
 #include "spdk/env.h"
+#include "spdk/nvme_spec.h"
 
 struct nvme_ctrlr;
 
@@ -86,4 +87,16 @@ struct nvme_ctrlr *nvme_connect(struct spdk_pci_addr *addr);
  */
 void nvme_detach(struct nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr);
 
+/**
+ * Get the identify controller data as defined by the NVMe specification.
+ *
+ * This function is thread safe and can be called at any point while the controller
+ * is attached to the SPDK NVMe driver.
+ *
+ * \param ctrlr Opaque handle to NVMe controller.
+ *
+ * \return pointer to the identify controller data.
+ */
+const struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_data *nvme_ctrlr_get_data(struct nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr);
+
 #endif /* EXTERNAL_NVME_H */