diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
index 15e367a40..149410e51 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ nvme_tcp_req_get(struct nvme_tcp_qpair *tqpair)
 	tcp_req->ordering.raw = 0;
 	memset(tcp_req->pdu, 0, sizeof(struct nvme_tcp_pdu));
 	memset(&tcp_req->rsp, 0, sizeof(struct spdk_nvme_cpl));
-	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&tqpair->outstanding_reqs, tcp_req, link);
 
 	return tcp_req;
 }
@@ -727,11 +726,11 @@ nvme_tcp_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair,
 
 	if (nvme_tcp_req_init(tqpair, req, tcp_req)) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("nvme_tcp_req_init() failed\n");
-		TAILQ_REMOVE(&tcp_req->tqpair->outstanding_reqs, tcp_req, link);
 		nvme_tcp_req_put(tqpair, tcp_req);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&tqpair->outstanding_reqs, tcp_req, link);
 	return nvme_tcp_qpair_capsule_cmd_send(tqpair, tcp_req);
 }
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c/nvme_tcp_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c/nvme_tcp_ut.c
index fa802b2b1..89ede297f 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c/nvme_tcp_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c/nvme_tcp_ut.c
@@ -581,7 +581,11 @@ test_nvme_tcp_req_get(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(tcp_req.r2tl_remain == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(tcp_req.iovcnt == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(tcp_req.ordering.raw == 0);
-	CU_ASSERT(!TAILQ_EMPTY(&tqpair.outstanding_reqs));
+	/* outstanding_reqs should still be empty - caller is responsible
+	 * for putting it on the TAILQ after any other initialization is
+	 * completed.
+	 */
+	CU_ASSERT(TAILQ_EMPTY(&tqpair.outstanding_reqs));
 	CU_ASSERT(TAILQ_EMPTY(&tqpair.free_reqs));
 
 	/* No tcp request available, expect fail */