diff --git a/include/spdk/nvmf_transport.h b/include/spdk/nvmf_transport.h
index 6660e37b2..6aaae4ce8 100644
--- a/include/spdk/nvmf_transport.h
+++ b/include/spdk/nvmf_transport.h
@@ -242,17 +242,11 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_transport_ops {
 	 * action here, as the enforcement of the association is done in the generic
 	 * code.
 	 *
-	 * The association is not considered complete until cb_fn is called. New
-	 * connections on the listener targeting this subsystem will be rejected
-	 * until that time.
-	 *
-	 * Pass a negated errno code to `cb_fn` to block the association. 0 to allow.
+	 * Returns a negated errno code to block the association. 0 to allow.
 	 */
-	void (*listen_associate)(struct spdk_nvmf_transport *transport,
-				 const struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
-				 const struct spdk_nvme_transport_id *trid,
-				 spdk_nvmf_tgt_subsystem_listen_done_fn cb_fn,
-				 void *cb_arg);
+	int (*listen_associate)(struct spdk_nvmf_transport *transport,
+				const struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
+				const struct spdk_nvme_transport_id *trid);
 
 	/**
 	 * Check for new connections on the transport.
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
index 24dac7dea..dd45d5247 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
@@ -831,6 +831,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_add_listener(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 	struct spdk_nvmf_transport *transport;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem_listener *listener;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_listener *tr_listener;
+	int rc = 0;
 
 	assert(cb_fn != NULL);
 
@@ -874,12 +875,10 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_add_listener(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 	listener->ana_state = SPDK_NVME_ANA_OPTIMIZED_STATE;
 
 	if (transport->ops->listen_associate != NULL) {
-		transport->ops->listen_associate(transport, subsystem, trid,
-						 _nvmf_subsystem_add_listener_done,
-						 listener);
-	} else {
-		_nvmf_subsystem_add_listener_done(listener, 0);
+		rc = transport->ops->listen_associate(transport, subsystem, trid);
 	}
+
+	_nvmf_subsystem_add_listener_done(listener, rc);
 }
 
 int