diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index a05e2ee13..c4509fb21 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -1789,20 +1789,25 @@ nvme_ctrlr_set_keep_alive_timeout_done(void *arg, const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cp
 	struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr = (struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *)arg;
 
 	if (spdk_nvme_cpl_is_error(cpl)) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Keep alive timeout Get Feature failed: SC %x SCT %x\n",
-			    cpl->status.sc, cpl->status.sct);
-		ctrlr->opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms = 0;
-		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_ERROR, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
-		return;
-	}
+		if ((cpl->status.sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_GENERIC) &&
+		    (cpl->status.sc == SPDK_NVME_SC_INVALID_FIELD)) {
+			SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "Keep alive timeout Get Feature is not supported\n");
+		} else {
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Keep alive timeout Get Feature failed: SC %x SCT %x\n",
+				    cpl->status.sc, cpl->status.sct);
+			ctrlr->opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms = 0;
+			nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_ERROR, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
+			return;
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (ctrlr->opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms != cpl->cdw0) {
+			SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "Controller adjusted keep alive timeout to %u ms\n",
+				      cpl->cdw0);
+		}
 
-	if (ctrlr->opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms != cpl->cdw0) {
-		SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "Controller adjusted keep alive timeout to %u ms\n",
-			      cpl->cdw0);
+		ctrlr->opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms = cpl->cdw0;
 	}
 
-	ctrlr->opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms = cpl->cdw0;
-
 	keep_alive_interval_ms = ctrlr->opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms / 2;
 	if (keep_alive_interval_ms == 0) {
 		keep_alive_interval_ms = 1;
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
index 03c9cf158..adebc4bfb 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
@@ -234,8 +234,8 @@ spdk_nvme_ctrlr_cmd_get_feature(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint8_t feature,
 				uint32_t cdw11, void *payload, uint32_t payload_size,
 				spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
-	CU_ASSERT(0);
-	return -1;
+	fake_cpl_sc(cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 int
@@ -2065,6 +2065,42 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_num_queues(void)
 	nvme_ctrlr_destruct(&ctrlr);
 }
 
+static void
+test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_keep_alive_timeout(void)
+{
+	DECLARE_AND_CONSTRUCT_CTRLR();
+
+	ctrlr.opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms = 60000;
+	ctrlr.cdata.kas = 1;
+	ctrlr.state = NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_KEEP_ALIVE_TIMEOUT;
+	fake_cpl.cdw0 = 120000;
+	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0); /* -> SET_HOST_ID */
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_HOST_ID);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms == 120000);
+	fake_cpl.cdw0 = 0;
+
+	/* Target does not support Get Feature "Keep Alive Timer" */
+	ctrlr.opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms = 60000;
+	ctrlr.cdata.kas = 1;
+	ctrlr.state = NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_KEEP_ALIVE_TIMEOUT;
+	set_status_code = SPDK_NVME_SC_INVALID_FIELD;
+	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0); /* -> SET_HOST_ID */
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_HOST_ID);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms == 60000);
+	set_status_code = SPDK_NVME_SC_SUCCESS;
+
+	/* Target fails Get Feature "Keep Alive Timer" for another reason */
+	ctrlr.opts.keep_alive_timeout_ms = 60000;
+	ctrlr.cdata.kas = 1;
+	ctrlr.state = NVME_CTRLR_STATE_SET_KEEP_ALIVE_TIMEOUT;
+	set_status_code = SPDK_NVME_SC_INTERNAL_DEVICE_ERROR;
+	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0); /* -> ERROR */
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_ERROR);
+	set_status_code = SPDK_NVME_SC_SUCCESS;
+
+	nvme_ctrlr_destruct(&ctrlr);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	CU_pSuite	suite = NULL;
@@ -2102,6 +2138,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	CU_ADD_TEST(suite, test_spdk_nvme_ctrlr_set_trid);
 	CU_ADD_TEST(suite, test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz);
 	CU_ADD_TEST(suite, test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_num_queues);
+	CU_ADD_TEST(suite, test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_keep_alive_timeout);
 
 	CU_basic_set_mode(CU_BRM_VERBOSE);
 	CU_basic_run_tests();