diff --git a/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c b/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
index 36f01e02f..64680af10 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/arbitration/arbitration.c
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ register_ctrlr(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	int nsid, num_ns;
 	struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns;
 	struct ctrlr_entry *entry = calloc(1, sizeof(struct ctrlr_entry));
+	union spdk_nvme_cap_register cap = spdk_nvme_ctrlr_get_regs_cap(ctrlr);
 	const struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_data *cdata = spdk_nvme_ctrlr_get_data(ctrlr);
 
 	if (entry == NULL) {
@@ -280,7 +281,8 @@ register_ctrlr(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 		register_ns(ctrlr, ns);
 	}
 
-	if (g_arbitration.arbitration_mechanism == SPDK_NVME_CAP_AMS_WRR) {
+	if (g_arbitration.arbitration_mechanism == SPDK_NVME_CAP_AMS_WRR &&
+	    (cap.bits.ams & SPDK_NVME_CAP_AMS_WRR)) {
 		get_arb_feature(ctrlr);
 
 		if (g_arbitration.arbitration_config != 0) {