diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index b558a75a4..0aa8193c1 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -275,13 +275,23 @@ end:
 }
 
 static void
-_ctrlr_destruct_check(void *ctx)
+ctrlr_delete_qpair(void *ctx)
 {
-	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr = ctx;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *qpair = ctx;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr = qpair->ctrlr;
 
 	assert(ctrlr != NULL);
 	assert(ctrlr->num_qpairs > 0);
+	/* Defer the admin qpair deletion since there are still io qpairs */
+	if ((ctrlr->num_qpairs > 1) && (qpair == ctrlr->admin_qpair)) {
+		spdk_thread_send_msg(qpair->group->thread, ctrlr_delete_qpair, qpair);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	ctrlr->num_qpairs--;
+	TAILQ_REMOVE(&ctrlr->qpairs, qpair, link);
+	spdk_nvmf_transport_qpair_fini(qpair);
+
 	if (ctrlr->num_qpairs == 0) {
 		assert(ctrlr->subsys != NULL);
 		assert(ctrlr->subsys->thread != NULL);
@@ -289,41 +299,6 @@ _ctrlr_destruct_check(void *ctx)
 	}
 }
 
-static void
-nvmf_qpair_fini(void *ctx)
-{
-	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *qpair = ctx;
-	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr = qpair->ctrlr;
-	struct spdk_thread *admin_thread = ctrlr->admin_qpair->group->thread;
-
-	spdk_nvmf_transport_qpair_fini(qpair);
-	spdk_thread_send_msg(admin_thread, _ctrlr_destruct_check, ctrlr);
-}
-
-static void
-ctrlr_delete_qpair(void *ctx)
-{
-	struct spdk_nvmf_qpair *qpair = ctx, *_qpair, *tmp;
-	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr = qpair->ctrlr;
-
-	assert(ctrlr != NULL);
-
-	/* Delete all io qpairs if receving the admin qpair disconnect event early */
-	if ((ctrlr->num_qpairs > 1) && (qpair == ctrlr->admin_qpair)) {
-		TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(_qpair, &ctrlr->qpairs, link, tmp) {
-			if (_qpair != qpair) {
-				ctrlr_delete_qpair(_qpair);
-			}
-		}
-
-		spdk_thread_send_msg(qpair->group->thread, ctrlr_delete_qpair, qpair);
-		return;
-	}
-
-	TAILQ_REMOVE(&ctrlr->qpairs, qpair, link);
-	spdk_thread_send_msg(qpair->group->thread, nvmf_qpair_fini, qpair);
-}
-
 static void
 _spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_add_io_qpair(void *ctx)
 {