diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index 12e3e0c40..c12166635 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ nvmf_ctrlr_create(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 		  struct spdk_nvmf_fabric_connect_cmd *connect_cmd,
 		  struct spdk_nvmf_fabric_connect_data *connect_data)
 {
-	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr	*ctrlr;
-	struct spdk_nvmf_transport *transport;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_transport *transport = req->qpair->transport;
 	struct spdk_nvme_transport_id listen_trid = {};
 
 	ctrlr = calloc(1, sizeof(*ctrlr));
@@ -344,13 +344,18 @@ nvmf_ctrlr_create(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	if (spdk_nvme_trtype_is_fabrics(transport->ops->type)) {
+		ctrlr->dynamic_ctrlr = true;
+	} else {
+		ctrlr->cntlid = connect_data->cntlid;
+	}
+
 	STAILQ_INIT(&ctrlr->async_events);
 	TAILQ_INIT(&ctrlr->log_head);
 	ctrlr->subsys = subsystem;
 	ctrlr->thread = req->qpair->group->thread;
 	ctrlr->disconnect_in_progress = false;
 
-	transport = req->qpair->transport;
 	ctrlr->qpair_mask = spdk_bit_array_create(transport->opts.max_qpairs_per_ctrlr);
 	if (!ctrlr->qpair_mask) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("Failed to allocate controller qpair mask\n");
@@ -743,7 +748,7 @@ _nvmf_ctrlr_connect(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 	if (cmd->qid == 0) {
 		SPDK_DEBUGLOG(nvmf, "Connect Admin Queue for controller ID 0x%x\n", data->cntlid);
 
-		if (data->cntlid != 0xFFFF) {
+		if (spdk_nvme_trtype_is_fabrics(transport->ops->type) && data->cntlid != 0xFFFF) {
 			/* This NVMf target only supports dynamic mode. */
 			SPDK_ERRLOG("The NVMf target only supports dynamic mode (CNTLID = 0x%x).\n", data->cntlid);
 			SPDK_NVMF_INVALID_CONNECT_DATA(rsp, cntlid);
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
index 6bb3987f6..a9d0957ee 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr {
 	/* valid only when disconnect_in_progress is true */
 	bool				disconnect_is_shn;
 	bool				acre_enabled;
+	bool				dynamic_ctrlr;
 
 	TAILQ_ENTRY(spdk_nvmf_ctrlr)	link;
 };
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
index e441699c1..bf06b262c 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
@@ -1928,11 +1928,17 @@ nvmf_subsystem_gen_cntlid(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem)
 int
 nvmf_subsystem_add_ctrlr(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem, struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 {
-	ctrlr->cntlid = nvmf_subsystem_gen_cntlid(subsystem);
-	if (ctrlr->cntlid == 0xFFFF) {
-		/* Unable to get a cntlid */
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Reached max simultaneous ctrlrs\n");
-		return -EBUSY;
+
+	if (ctrlr->dynamic_ctrlr) {
+		ctrlr->cntlid = nvmf_subsystem_gen_cntlid(subsystem);
+		if (ctrlr->cntlid == 0xFFFF) {
+			/* Unable to get a cntlid */
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Reached max simultaneous ctrlrs\n");
+			return -EBUSY;
+		}
+	} else if (nvmf_subsystem_get_ctrlr(subsystem, ctrlr->cntlid) != NULL) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Ctrlr with cntlid %u already exist\n", ctrlr->cntlid);
+		return -EEXIST;
 	}
 
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&subsystem->ctrlrs, ctrlr, link);
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c/subsystem_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c/subsystem_ut.c
index 7438d0380..6aaf392d5 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c/subsystem_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c/subsystem_ut.c
@@ -1471,6 +1471,7 @@ test_nvmf_subsystem_add_ctrlr(void)
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(subsystem != NULL);
 	ctrlr.subsys = subsystem;
 
+	ctrlr.dynamic_ctrlr = true;
 	rc = nvmf_subsystem_add_ctrlr(subsystem, &ctrlr);
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(!TAILQ_EMPTY(&subsystem->ctrlrs));