diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index ffb16799c..98d0f676f 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -2652,6 +2652,11 @@ bool
 spdk_nvmf_request_get_dif_ctx(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req, struct spdk_dif_ctx *dif_ctx)
 {
 	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *qpair = req->qpair;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr = qpair->ctrlr;
+
+	if (spdk_likely(ctrlr == NULL || !ctrlr->dif_insert_or_strip)) {
+		return false;
+	}
 
 	if (spdk_unlikely(qpair->state != SPDK_NVMF_QPAIR_ACTIVE)) {
 		return false;
@@ -2665,5 +2670,5 @@ spdk_nvmf_request_get_dif_ctx(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req, struct spdk_dif_ctx
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	return spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_get_dif_ctx(qpair->ctrlr, &req->cmd->nvme_cmd, dif_ctx);
+	return spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_get_dif_ctx(ctrlr, &req->cmd->nvme_cmd, dif_ctx);
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
index be408c94a..f1639b2ec 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
@@ -1182,6 +1182,12 @@ test_get_dif_ctx(void)
 
 	ns.bdev = &bdev;
 
+	ctrlr.dif_insert_or_strip = false;
+
+	ret = spdk_nvmf_request_get_dif_ctx(&req, &dif_ctx);
+	CU_ASSERT(ret == false);
+
+	ctrlr.dif_insert_or_strip = true;
 	qpair.state = SPDK_NVMF_QPAIR_UNINITIALIZED;
 
 	ret = spdk_nvmf_request_get_dif_ctx(&req, &dif_ctx);