diff --git a/lib/iscsi/conn.c b/lib/iscsi/conn.c
index 6716c20f8..c433e18ab 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/conn.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/conn.c
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ struct spdk_iscsi_conn *g_conns_array = MAP_FAILED;
 static int g_conns_array_fd = -1;
 static char g_shm_name[64];
 
+static TAILQ_HEAD(, spdk_iscsi_conn) g_free_conns = TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(g_free_conns);
+
 static pthread_mutex_t g_conns_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 
 static struct spdk_poller *g_shutdown_timer = NULL;
@@ -77,29 +79,36 @@ static struct spdk_iscsi_conn *
 allocate_conn(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_iscsi_conn	*conn;
-	int				i;
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&g_conns_mutex);
-	for (i = 0; i < MAX_ISCSI_CONNECTIONS; i++) {
-		conn = &g_conns_array[i];
-		if (!conn->is_valid) {
-			SPDK_ISCSI_CONNECTION_MEMSET(conn);
-			conn->is_valid = 1;
-			pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_conns_mutex);
-			return conn;
-		}
+	conn = TAILQ_FIRST(&g_free_conns);
+	if (conn != NULL) {
+		assert(!conn->is_valid);
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&g_free_conns, conn, conn_link);
+		SPDK_ISCSI_CONNECTION_MEMSET(conn);
+		conn->is_valid = 1;
 	}
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_conns_mutex);
 
-	return NULL;
+	return conn;
+}
+
+static void
+_free_conn(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn)
+{
+	memset(conn->portal_host, 0, sizeof(conn->portal_host));
+	memset(conn->portal_port, 0, sizeof(conn->portal_port));
+	conn->is_valid = 0;
+
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&g_free_conns, conn, conn_link);
 }
 
 static void
 free_conn(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn)
 {
-	memset(conn->portal_host, 0, sizeof(conn->portal_host));
-	memset(conn->portal_port, 0, sizeof(conn->portal_port));
-	conn->is_valid = 0;
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&g_conns_mutex);
+	_free_conn(conn);
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_conns_mutex);
 }
 
 static struct spdk_iscsi_conn *
@@ -158,6 +167,7 @@ int initialize_iscsi_conns(void)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < MAX_ISCSI_CONNECTIONS; i++) {
 		g_conns_array[i].id = i;
+		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&g_free_conns, &g_conns_array[i], conn_link);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -435,7 +445,7 @@ iscsi_conn_free(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn)
 end:
 	SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_ISCSI, "cleanup free conn\n");
 	iscsi_param_free(conn->params);
-	free_conn(conn);
+	_free_conn(conn);
 
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&g_conns_mutex);
 }
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/conn.h b/lib/iscsi/conn.h
index 08aaf2d05..8c072025f 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/conn.h
+++ b/lib/iscsi/conn.h
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@ struct spdk_iscsi_conn {
 	TAILQ_HEAD(queued_datain_tasks, spdk_iscsi_task)	queued_datain_tasks;
 
 	struct spdk_iscsi_lun	*luns[SPDK_SCSI_DEV_MAX_LUN];
+
+	TAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_iscsi_conn)	conn_link;
 };
 
 extern struct spdk_iscsi_conn *g_conns_array;
diff --git a/test/iscsi_tgt/rpc_config/rpc_config.py b/test/iscsi_tgt/rpc_config/rpc_config.py
index 1d9c4275e..9f8e32909 100755
--- a/test/iscsi_tgt/rpc_config/rpc_config.py
+++ b/test/iscsi_tgt/rpc_config/rpc_config.py
@@ -116,8 +116,6 @@ def verify_iscsi_connection_rpc_methods(rpc_py):
     jsonvalues = json.loads(output)
     verify(jsonvalues[0]['target_node_name'] == rpc_param['target_name'], 1,
            "target node name vaule is {}, expected {}".format(jsonvalues[0]['target_node_name'], rpc_param['target_name']))
-    verify(jsonvalues[0]['id'] == 0, 1,
-           "device id value is {}, expected 0".format(jsonvalues[0]['id']))
     verify(jsonvalues[0]['initiator_addr'] == rpc_param['initiator_ip'], 1,
            "initiator address values is {}, expected {}".format(jsonvalues[0]['initiator_addr'], rpc_param['initiator_ip']))
     verify(jsonvalues[0]['target_addr'] == rpc_param['target_ip'], 1,