diff --git a/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c b/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
index e798623b6..908972d2f 100644
--- a/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
+++ b/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
@@ -509,6 +509,11 @@ spdk_nvmf_construct_subsystem(const char *name,
 			}
 		}
 
+		if (addresses[i].transport == NULL) {
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Missing listen address transport type\n");
+			goto error;
+		}
+
 		listen_addr = spdk_nvmf_tgt_listen(addresses[i].transport,
 						   addresses[i].traddr, addresses[i].trsvcid);
 		if (listen_addr == NULL) {
diff --git a/app/nvmf_tgt/nvmf_rpc.c b/app/nvmf_tgt/nvmf_rpc.c
index 6fea893ef..a9ce71ae7 100644
--- a/app/nvmf_tgt/nvmf_rpc.c
+++ b/app/nvmf_tgt/nvmf_rpc.c
@@ -79,8 +79,11 @@ dump_nvmf_subsystem(struct spdk_json_write_ctx *w, struct nvmf_tgt_subsystem *tg
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(allowed_listener, &subsystem->allowed_listeners, link) {
 		listen_addr = allowed_listener->listen_addr;
 		spdk_json_write_object_begin(w);
+		/* NOTE: "transport" is kept for compatibility; new code should use "trtype" */
 		spdk_json_write_name(w, "transport");
 		spdk_json_write_string(w, listen_addr->trname);
+		spdk_json_write_name(w, "trtype");
+		spdk_json_write_string(w, listen_addr->trname);
 		spdk_json_write_name(w, "traddr");
 		spdk_json_write_string(w, listen_addr->traddr);
 		spdk_json_write_name(w, "trsvcid");
@@ -174,7 +177,9 @@ struct rpc_listen_addresses {
 };
 
 static const struct spdk_json_object_decoder rpc_listen_address_decoders[] = {
-	{"transport", offsetof(struct rpc_listen_address, transport), spdk_json_decode_string},
+	/* NOTE: "transport" is kept for compatibility; new code should use "trtype" */
+	{"transport", offsetof(struct rpc_listen_address, transport), spdk_json_decode_string, true},
+	{"trtype", offsetof(struct rpc_listen_address, transport), spdk_json_decode_string, true},
 	{"traddr", offsetof(struct rpc_listen_address, traddr), spdk_json_decode_string},
 	{"trsvcid", offsetof(struct rpc_listen_address, trsvcid), spdk_json_decode_string},
 };
diff --git a/scripts/rpc.py b/scripts/rpc.py
index 1e6d8115e..e15f742eb 100755
--- a/scripts/rpc.py
+++ b/scripts/rpc.py
@@ -427,9 +427,9 @@ p = subparsers.add_parser('construct_nvmf_subsystem', help='Add a nvmf subsystem
 p.add_argument("-c", "--core", help='The core Nvmf target run on', type=int, default=-1)
 p.add_argument('mode', help='Target mode: Virtual or Direct')
 p.add_argument('nqn', help='Target nqn(ASCII)')
-p.add_argument('listen', help="""comma-separated list of Listen <transport:transport_name traddr:address trsvcid:port_id> pairs enclosed
-in quotes.  Format:  'transport:transport0 traddr:traddr0 trsvcid:trsvcid0,transport:transport1 traddr:traddr1 trsvcid:trsvcid1' etc
-Example: 'transport:RDMA traddr:192.168.100.8 trsvcid:4420,transport:RDMA traddr:192.168.100.9 trsvcid:4420'""")
+p.add_argument('listen', help="""comma-separated list of Listen <trtype:transport_name traddr:address trsvcid:port_id> pairs enclosed
+in quotes.  Format:  'trtype:transport0 traddr:traddr0 trsvcid:trsvcid0,trtype:transport1 traddr:traddr1 trsvcid:trsvcid1' etc
+Example: 'trtype:RDMA traddr:192.168.100.8 trsvcid:4420,trtype:RDMA traddr:192.168.100.9 trsvcid:4420'""")
 p.add_argument('hosts', help="""Whitespace-separated list of host nqn list.
 Format:  'nqn1 nqn2' etc
 Example: 'nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:init nqn.2016-07.io.spdk:init'""")
diff --git a/test/iscsi_tgt/nvme_remote/fio_remote_nvme.sh b/test/iscsi_tgt/nvme_remote/fio_remote_nvme.sh
index fb624133e..5811638c8 100755
--- a/test/iscsi_tgt/nvme_remote/fio_remote_nvme.sh
+++ b/test/iscsi_tgt/nvme_remote/fio_remote_nvme.sh
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ trap "killprocess $nvmfpid; exit 1" SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
 waitforlisten $nvmfpid 5260
 echo "NVMf target has started."
 bdevs=$($rpc_py construct_malloc_bdev 64 512)
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
 echo "NVMf subsystem created."
 
 timing_enter start_iscsi_tgt
diff --git a/test/nvmf/discovery/discovery.sh b/test/nvmf/discovery/discovery.sh
index 2aa4dd323..d984b1b9e 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/discovery/discovery.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/discovery/discovery.sh
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ bdevs="$bdevs $($rpc_py construct_null_bdev Null1 $NULL_BDEV_SIZE $NULL_BLOCK_SI
 
 modprobe -v nvme-rdma
 
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
 
 nvme discover -t rdma -a $NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP -s $NVMF_PORT
 
diff --git a/test/nvmf/filesystem/filesystem.sh b/test/nvmf/filesystem/filesystem.sh
index 075f1076c..bef8c251c 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/filesystem/filesystem.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/filesystem/filesystem.sh
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ bdevs="$bdevs $($rpc_py construct_malloc_bdev $MALLOC_BDEV_SIZE $MALLOC_BLOCK_SI
 
 modprobe -v nvme-rdma
 
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
 
 nvme connect -t rdma -n "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1" -a "$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP" -s "$NVMF_PORT"
 nvme connect -t rdma -n "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2" -a "$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP" -s "$NVMF_PORT"
diff --git a/test/nvmf/fio/fio.sh b/test/nvmf/fio/fio.sh
index 2d64e5b34..00387dc0f 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/fio/fio.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/fio/fio.sh
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ bdevs="$bdevs $($rpc_py construct_malloc_bdev $MALLOC_BDEV_SIZE $MALLOC_BLOCK_SI
 
 modprobe -v nvme-rdma
 
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
 
 nvme connect -t rdma -n "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1" -a "$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP" -s "$NVMF_PORT"
 nvme connect -t rdma -n "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2" -a "$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP" -s "$NVMF_PORT"
diff --git a/test/nvmf/host/aer.sh b/test/nvmf/host/aer.sh
index b264c54ed..d4daa3b9c 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/host/aer.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/host/aer.sh
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ trap "killprocess $nvmfpid; exit 1" SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
 waitforlisten $nvmfpid ${RPC_PORT}
 timing_exit start_nvmf_tgt
 
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
 
 $rootdir/test/lib/nvme/aer/aer -r "\
         trtype:RDMA \
diff --git a/test/nvmf/host/fio.sh b/test/nvmf/host/fio.sh
index 774061e70..6212544cc 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/host/fio.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/host/fio.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ trap "killprocess $nvmfpid; exit 1" SIGINT SIGTERM EXIT
 waitforlisten $nvmfpid ${RPC_PORT}
 timing_exit start_nvmf_tgt
 
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
 
 PLUGIN_DIR=$rootdir/examples/nvme/fio_plugin
 
diff --git a/test/nvmf/host/identify.sh b/test/nvmf/host/identify.sh
index eeaddd4f9..37da34818 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/host/identify.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/host/identify.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ timing_exit start_nvmf_tgt
 
 bdevs="$bdevs $($rpc_py construct_malloc_bdev $MALLOC_BDEV_SIZE $MALLOC_BLOCK_SIZE)"
 
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
 
 $rootdir/examples/nvme/identify/identify -r "\
         trtype:RDMA \
diff --git a/test/nvmf/host/perf.sh b/test/nvmf/host/perf.sh
index d97e6d931..bffbf88f4 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/host/perf.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/host/perf.sh
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ timing_exit start_nvmf_tgt
 
 bdevs="$bdevs $($rpc_py construct_malloc_bdev $MALLOC_BDEV_SIZE $MALLOC_BLOCK_SIZE)"
 
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
 
 $rootdir/examples/nvme/perf/perf -q 128 -s 4096 -w randrw -M 50 -t 1 -r "trtype:RDMA adrfam:IPv4 traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420"
 sync
diff --git a/test/nvmf/multiconnection/multiconnection.sh b/test/nvmf/multiconnection/multiconnection.sh
index 018f69d6a..0d8418771 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/multiconnection/multiconnection.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/multiconnection/multiconnection.sh
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ modprobe -v nvme-rdma
 for i in `seq 1 11`
 do
 	bdevs="$($rpc_py construct_malloc_bdev $MALLOC_BDEV_SIZE $MALLOC_BLOCK_SIZE)"
-	$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode${i} "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:$NVMF_PORT" '' -s SPDK${i} -n "$bdevs"
+	$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode${i} "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:$NVMF_PORT" '' -s SPDK${i} -n "$bdevs"
 done
 
 for i in `seq 1 11`; do
diff --git a/test/nvmf/nvme_cli/nvme_cli.sh b/test/nvmf/nvme_cli/nvme_cli.sh
index 7600c53fa..849805e05 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/nvme_cli/nvme_cli.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/nvme_cli/nvme_cli.sh
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ bdevs="$bdevs $($rpc_py construct_malloc_bdev $MALLOC_BDEV_SIZE $MALLOC_BLOCK_SI
 
 modprobe -v nvme-rdma
 
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
-$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "*"
+$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2 "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -s SPDK00000000000001 -n "$bdevs"
 
 nvme connect -t rdma -n "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode1" -a "$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP" -s "$NVMF_PORT"
 nvme connect -t rdma -n "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode2" -a "$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP" -s "$NVMF_PORT"
diff --git a/test/nvmf/rpc/rpc.sh b/test/nvmf/rpc/rpc.sh
index ca04aeac6..75cedf2d9 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/rpc/rpc.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/rpc/rpc.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ do
 	j=0
 	for bdf in $bdfs; do
 		let j=j+1
-		$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode$j "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "$bdf"
+		$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Direct nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode$j "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:4420" "" -p "$bdf"
 	done
 
 	n=$j
diff --git a/test/nvmf/shutdown/shutdown.sh b/test/nvmf/shutdown/shutdown.sh
index 60ccc5c27..6dc5420f9 100755
--- a/test/nvmf/shutdown/shutdown.sh
+++ b/test/nvmf/shutdown/shutdown.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ timing_exit start_nvmf_tgt
 for i in `seq 1 10`
 do
 	bdevs="$($rpc_py construct_malloc_bdev $MALLOC_BDEV_SIZE $MALLOC_BLOCK_SIZE)"
-	$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode${i} "transport:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:$NVMF_PORT" '' -s SPDK${i} -n "$bdevs"
+	$rpc_py construct_nvmf_subsystem Virtual nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:cnode${i} "trtype:RDMA traddr:$NVMF_FIRST_TARGET_IP trsvcid:$NVMF_PORT" '' -s SPDK${i} -n "$bdevs"
 done
 
 # Kill nvmf tgt without removing any subsystem to check whether it can shutdown correctly