diff --git a/lib/env_dpdk/pci.c b/lib/env_dpdk/pci.c
index 668d0932a..4153ac93e 100644
--- a/lib/env_dpdk/pci.c
+++ b/lib/env_dpdk/pci.c
@@ -59,14 +59,6 @@ spdk_pci_device_init(struct rte_pci_driver *driver,
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	if (device->kdrv == RTE_KDRV_VFIO && spdk_process_is_primary()) {
-		/*
-		 * TODO: This is a workaround for an issue where the device is not ready after VFIO reset.
-		 * Figure out what is actually going wrong and remove this sleep.
-		 */
-		usleep(500 * 1000);
-	}
-
 	rc = ctx->cb_fn(ctx->cb_arg, (struct spdk_pci_device *)device);
 	if (rc != 0) {
 		return rc;
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index d92615cbd..129d5f29a 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -608,6 +608,8 @@ static const char *
 nvme_ctrlr_state_string(enum nvme_ctrlr_state state)
 {
 	switch (state) {
+	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT_DELAY:
+		return "delay init";
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT:
 		return "init";
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_DISABLE_WAIT_FOR_READY_1:
@@ -1869,6 +1871,22 @@ nvme_ctrlr_process_init(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	 * Check if the current initialization step is done or has timed out.
 	 */
 	switch (ctrlr->state) {
+	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT_DELAY:
+		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT, ready_timeout_in_ms);
+		/*
+		 * Controller may need some delay before it's enabled.
+		 *
+		 * This is a workaround for an issue where the PCIe-attached NVMe controller
+		 * is not ready after VFIO reset. We delay the initialization rather than the
+		 * enabling itself, because this is required only for the very first enabling
+		 * - directly after a VFIO reset.
+		 *
+		 * TODO: Figure out what is actually going wrong.
+		 */
+		SPDK_DEBUGLOG(SPDK_LOG_NVME, "Adding 500 ms delay before initializing the controller\n");
+		ctrlr->sleep_timeout_tsc = spdk_get_ticks() + (500 * spdk_get_ticks_hz() / 1000);
+		break;
+
 	case NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT:
 		/* Begin the hardware initialization by making sure the controller is disabled. */
 		if (cc.bits.en) {
@@ -2113,7 +2131,12 @@ nvme_ctrlr_construct(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 {
 	int rc;
 
-	nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
+	if (ctrlr->trid.trtype == SPDK_NVME_TRANSPORT_PCIE) {
+		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT_DELAY, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
+	} else {
+		nvme_ctrlr_set_state(ctrlr, NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT, NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE);
+	}
+
 	ctrlr->flags = 0;
 	ctrlr->free_io_qids = NULL;
 	ctrlr->is_resetting = false;
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index 10dc08ab6..6e7714a41 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -388,6 +388,11 @@ struct spdk_nvme_ns {
  * State of struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr (in particular, during initialization).
  */
 enum nvme_ctrlr_state {
+	/**
+	 * Wait before initializing the controller.
+	 */
+	NVME_CTRLR_STATE_INIT_DELAY,
+
 	/**
 	 * Controller has not been initialized yet.
 	 */