diff --git a/include/spdk/nvme.h b/include/spdk/nvme.h
index f5d120226..4e44c926d 100644
--- a/include/spdk/nvme.h
+++ b/include/spdk/nvme.h
@@ -709,6 +709,31 @@ int spdk_nvme_detach(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr);
  */
 int spdk_nvme_ctrlr_reset(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr);
 
+/**
+ * Fail the given NVMe controller.
+ *
+ * This function gives the application the opportunity to fail a controller
+ * at will. When a controller is failed, any calls to process completions or
+ * submit I/O on qpairs associated with that controller will fail with an error
+ * code of -ENXIO.
+ * The controller can only be taken from the failed state by
+ * calling spdk_nvme_ctrlr_reset. After the controller has been successfully
+ * reset, any I/O pending when the controller was moved to failed will be
+ * aborted back to the application and can be resubmitted. I/O can then resume.
+ *
+ * \param ctrlr Opaque handle to an NVMe controller.
+ */
+void spdk_nvme_ctrlr_fail(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr);
+
+/**
+ * This function returns the failed status of a given controller.
+ *
+ * \param ctrlr Opaque handle to an NVMe controller.
+ *
+ * \return True if the controller is failed, false otherwise.
+ */
+bool spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_failed(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr);
+
 /**
  * Get the identify controller data as defined by the NVMe specification.
  *
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index 6bbdeaf5b..953f22a28 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -629,6 +629,12 @@ nvme_ctrlr_set_supported_features(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	nvme_ctrlr_set_arbitration_feature(ctrlr);
 }
 
+bool
+spdk_nvme_ctrlr_is_failed(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
+{
+	return ctrlr->is_failed;
+}
+
 void
 nvme_ctrlr_fail(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, bool hot_remove)
 {
@@ -643,6 +649,19 @@ nvme_ctrlr_fail(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, bool hot_remove)
 	SPDK_ERRLOG("ctrlr %s in failed state.\n", ctrlr->trid.traddr);
 }
 
+/**
+ * This public API function will try to take the controller lock.
+ * Any private functions being called from a thread already holding
+ * the ctrlr lock should call nvme_ctrlr_fail directly.
+ */
+void
+spdk_nvme_ctrlr_fail(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
+{
+	nvme_robust_mutex_lock(&ctrlr->ctrlr_lock);
+	nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
+	nvme_robust_mutex_unlock(&ctrlr->ctrlr_lock);
+}
+
 static void
 nvme_ctrlr_shutdown(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 {