diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index b7e3822dd..47fb8652c 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -295,7 +295,6 @@ int
 spdk_nvme_ctrlr_free_io_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 {
 	struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr;
-	void *req_buf;
 
 	if (qpair == NULL) {
 		return 0;
@@ -321,15 +320,11 @@ spdk_nvme_ctrlr_free_io_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&ctrlr->active_io_qpairs, qpair, tailq);
 	spdk_bit_array_set(ctrlr->free_io_qids, qpair->id);
 
-	req_buf = qpair->req_buf;
-
 	if (nvme_transport_ctrlr_delete_io_qpair(ctrlr, qpair)) {
 		nvme_robust_mutex_unlock(&ctrlr->ctrlr_lock);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	spdk_dma_free(req_buf);
-
 	nvme_robust_mutex_unlock(&ctrlr->ctrlr_lock);
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index 81e4bfce1..fb9eeb340 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -647,6 +647,7 @@ int	nvme_qpair_init(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint16_t id,
 			struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 			enum spdk_nvme_qprio qprio,
 			uint32_t num_requests);
+void	nvme_qpair_deinit(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair);
 void	nvme_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair);
 void	nvme_qpair_disable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair);
 int	nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair,
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
index 327242db1..83a67be6b 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
@@ -1336,6 +1336,8 @@ nvme_pcie_qpair_destroy(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 		spdk_dma_free(pqpair->tr);
 	}
 
+	nvme_qpair_deinit(qpair);
+
 	spdk_dma_free(pqpair);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
index 45f605cee..af99ca8da 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -412,6 +412,12 @@ nvme_qpair_init(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint16_t id,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+void
+nvme_qpair_deinit(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
+{
+	spdk_dma_free(qpair->req_buf);
+}
+
 int
 nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *req)
 {
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
index a6299bd56..e36f3ce4c 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
@@ -1110,6 +1110,7 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_destroy(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	if (!qpair) {
 		return -1;
 	}
+	nvme_qpair_deinit(qpair);
 
 	rqpair = nvme_rdma_qpair(qpair);
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c/nvme_pcie_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c/nvme_pcie_ut.c
index 41919ffa3..b5a5d7097 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c/nvme_pcie_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c/nvme_pcie_ut.c
@@ -115,6 +115,12 @@ nvme_qpair_init(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint16_t id,
 	abort();
 }
 
+void
+nvme_qpair_deinit(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
+{
+	abort();
+}
+
 int
 spdk_pci_nvme_enumerate(spdk_pci_enum_cb enum_cb, void *enum_ctx)
 {