diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index 69cf545c9..25ab7fef0 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -869,6 +869,12 @@ nvme_ctrlr_fail(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, bool hot_remove)
 	if (hot_remove) {
 		ctrlr->is_removed = true;
 	}
+
+	if (ctrlr->is_failed) {
+		SPDK_NOTICELOG("ctrlr %s is already in failed state\n", ctrlr->trid.traddr);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	ctrlr->is_failed = true;
 	nvme_transport_ctrlr_disconnect_qpair(ctrlr, ctrlr->adminq);
 	SPDK_ERRLOG("ctrlr %s in failed state.\n", ctrlr->trid.traddr);