diff --git a/lib/nvmf/rdma.c b/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
index 2b1931752..c23d2d17c 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
@@ -486,6 +486,11 @@ request_transfer_in(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 	rc = ibv_post_send(rqpair->cm_id->qp, &rdma_req->data.wr, &bad_wr);
 	if (rc) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to transfer data from host to target\n");
+
+		/* Decrement r/w counter back since data transfer
+		 * has not started.
+		 */
+		rqpair->cur_rdma_rw_depth--;
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -552,6 +557,13 @@ request_transfer_out(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 	rc = ibv_post_send(rqpair->cm_id->qp, send_wr, &bad_send_wr);
 	if (rc) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to send response capsule\n");
+
+		if (rdma_req->data.wr.opcode == IBV_WR_RDMA_WRITE) {
+			/* Decrement r/w counter back since data transfer
+			 * has not started.
+			 */
+			rqpair->cur_rdma_rw_depth--;
+		}
 	}
 
 	return rc;