diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index 703dd373f..7e06eba96 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -1233,8 +1233,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_state_string(enum nvme_ctrlr_state state)
 		return "identify active ns";
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS:
 		return "wait for identify active ns";
-	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS:
-		return "construct namespaces";
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS:
 		return "identify ns";
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_IDENTIFY_NS:
@@ -2099,22 +2097,33 @@ out:
 	}
 }
 
+static int nvme_ctrlr_construct_namespaces(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr);
+
 static void
 _nvme_active_ns_ctx_deleter(struct nvme_active_ns_ctx *ctx)
 {
+	int rc;
 	struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr = ctx->ctrlr;
 
 	if (ctx->state == NVME_ACTIVE_NS_STATE_ERROR) {
-		nvme_ctrlr_destruct_namespaces(ctrlr);
 		nvme_active_ns_ctx_destroy(ctx);
 		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_ERROR, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	assert(ctx->state == NVME_ACTIVE_NS_STATE_DONE);
+
+	rc = nvme_ctrlr_construct_namespaces(ctrlr);
+	if (rc) {
+		NVME_CTRLR_ERRLOG(ctrlr, "Unable to construct namespace array!\n");
+		nvme_active_ns_ctx_destroy(ctx);
+		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_ERROR, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	nvme_ctrlr_identify_active_ns_swap(ctrlr, &ctx->new_ns_list);
 	nvme_active_ns_ctx_destroy(ctx);
-	nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS, ctrlr->opts.admin_timeout_ms);
+	nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS, ctrlr->opts.admin_timeout_ms);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -3520,14 +3529,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_process_init(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 		_nvme_ctrlr_identify_active_ns(ctrlr);
 		break;
 
-	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS:
-		rc = nvme_ctrlr_construct_namespaces(ctrlr);
-		if (!rc) {
-			nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS,
-					     ctrlr->opts.admin_timeout_ms);
-		}
-		break;
-
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS:
 		rc = nvme_ctrlr_identify_namespaces(ctrlr);
 		break;
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index 66b61a3da..01bc4fa41 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -640,11 +640,6 @@ enum nvme_ctrlr_state {
 	 */
 	NVME_CTRLR_STATE_WAIT_FOR_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS,
 
-	/**
-	 * Construct Namespace data structures of the controller.
-	 */
-	NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS,
-
 	/**
 	 * Get Identify Namespace Data structure for each NS.
 	 */
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
index 076b290a7..5b734e84a 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
@@ -2035,7 +2035,12 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_test_active_ns(void)
 		ctrlr.vs.bits.mjr = 1;
 		ctrlr.vs.bits.mnr = minor;
 		ctrlr.vs.bits.ter = 0;
-		ctrlr.num_ns = ctrlr.cdata.nn = 1531;
+		ctrlr.cdata.nn = 1531;
+
+		ctrlr.ns = calloc(ctrlr.cdata.nn, sizeof(struct spdk_nvme_ns));
+		SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.ns != NULL);
+		ctrlr.num_ns = ctrlr.cdata.nn;
+
 		nvme_ctrlr_identify_active_ns(&ctrlr);
 
 		for (nsid = 1; nsid <= ctrlr.num_ns; nsid++) {
@@ -2225,7 +2230,7 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 0);
@@ -2244,7 +2249,7 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 4096);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 1);
@@ -2265,7 +2270,7 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 4096);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 1);
@@ -2286,7 +2291,7 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 4096);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 1);
@@ -2307,7 +2312,7 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_init_set_nvmf_ioccsz(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.ioccsz_bytes == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(ctrlr.icdoff == 0);
@@ -2487,8 +2492,8 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_active_ns_list_v0(void)
 	ctrlr.cdata.nn = 1024;
 
 	ctrlr.state = NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS;
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0); /* -> CONSTRUCT_NS */
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1));
 	CU_ASSERT(spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1024));
 	CU_ASSERT(!spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1025));
@@ -2518,8 +2523,8 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_active_ns_list_v2(void)
 	/* No active namespaces */
 	memset(active_ns_list, 0, sizeof(active_ns_list));
 	ctrlr.state = NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS;
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0); /* -> CONSTRUCT_NS */
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(!spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1));
 	CU_ASSERT(!spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1024));
 	CU_ASSERT(!spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1025));
@@ -2537,8 +2542,8 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_active_ns_list_v2(void)
 	ctrlr.state = NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS;
 	g_active_ns_list = active_ns_list;
 	g_active_ns_list_length = SPDK_COUNTOF(active_ns_list);
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0); /* -> CONSTRUCT_NS */
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1));
 	CU_ASSERT(spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1024));
 	CU_ASSERT(!spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1025));
@@ -2556,8 +2561,8 @@ test_nvme_ctrlr_active_ns_list_v2(void)
 	}
 
 	ctrlr.state = NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_ACTIVE_NS;
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0); /* -> CONSTRUCT_NS */
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_CONSTRUCT_NS);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(nvme_ctrlr_process_init(&ctrlr) == 0);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(ctrlr.state == NVME_CTRLR_STATE_IDENTIFY_NS);
 	CU_ASSERT(spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1));
 	CU_ASSERT(spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1023));
 	CU_ASSERT(!spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_active_ns(&ctrlr, 1024));