diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme.c b/lib/nvme/nvme.c
index 5edc1a7d6..49c75e54f 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme.c
@@ -446,6 +446,7 @@ nvme_ctrlr_poll_internal(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 		/* Controller failed to initialize. */
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(&probe_ctx->init_ctrlrs, ctrlr, tailq);
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to initialize SSD: %s\n", ctrlr->trid.traddr);
+		nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
 		nvme_ctrlr_destruct(ctrlr);
 		return rc;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index b717fd948..24ba487f9 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -2114,7 +2114,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_process_init(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 			goto init_timeout;
 		}
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to read CC and CSTS in state %d\n", ctrlr->state);
-		nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
@@ -2161,7 +2160,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_process_init(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 			cc.bits.en = 0;
 			if (nvme_ctrlr_set_cc(ctrlr, &cc)) {
 				SPDK_ERRLOG("set_cc() failed\n");
-				nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
 				return -EIO;
 			}
 			nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_DISABLE_WAIT_FOR_READY_0, ready_timeout_in_ms);
@@ -2193,7 +2191,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_process_init(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 			cc.bits.en = 0;
 			if (nvme_ctrlr_set_cc(ctrlr, &cc)) {
 				SPDK_ERRLOG("set_cc() failed\n");
-				nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
 				return -EIO;
 			}
 			nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_DISABLE_WAIT_FOR_READY_0, ready_timeout_in_ms);
@@ -2348,7 +2345,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_process_init(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 
 	default:
 		assert(0);
-		nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -2356,7 +2352,6 @@ init_timeout:
 	if (ctrlr->state_timeout_tsc != NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE &&
 	    spdk_get_ticks() > ctrlr->state_timeout_tsc) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Initialization timed out in state %d\n", ctrlr->state);
-		nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme.c/nvme_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme.c/nvme_ut.c
index 21414c58b..a4acc9196 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme.c/nvme_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme.c/nvme_ut.c
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 
 DEFINE_STUB_V(nvme_ctrlr_proc_get_ref, (struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr));
 DEFINE_STUB_V(nvme_ctrlr_proc_put_ref, (struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr));
+DEFINE_STUB_V(nvme_ctrlr_fail, (struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, bool hotremove));
 DEFINE_STUB(spdk_nvme_transport_available, bool,
 	    (enum spdk_nvme_transport_type trtype), true);
 /* return anything non-NULL, this won't be deferenced anywhere in this test */