diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
index d6a5cfb9d..d56a48335 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
@@ -1686,6 +1686,7 @@ nvme_rdma_ctrlr_delete_io_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_
 {
 	struct nvme_rdma_qpair *rqpair;
 
+	assert(qpair != NULL);
 	rqpair = nvme_rdma_qpair(qpair);
 	nvme_transport_ctrlr_disconnect_qpair(ctrlr, qpair);
 	if (rqpair->defer_deletion_to_pg) {
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
index 1532479f1..69bc0d68c 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
@@ -327,10 +327,7 @@ nvme_tcp_ctrlr_delete_io_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_q
 {
 	struct nvme_tcp_qpair *tqpair;
 
-	if (!qpair) {
-		return -1;
-	}
-
+	assert(qpair != NULL);
 	nvme_transport_ctrlr_disconnect_qpair(ctrlr, qpair);
 	nvme_tcp_qpair_abort_reqs(qpair, 1);
 	nvme_qpair_deinit(qpair);