diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
index 913730683..bd5e57336 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -625,8 +625,7 @@ _nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *r
 		/* The controller is being reset - queue this request and
 		 *  submit it later when the reset is completed.
 		 */
-		STAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&qpair->queued_req, req, stailq);
-		return 0;
+		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
 	if (spdk_likely(rc == 0)) {
@@ -634,8 +633,7 @@ _nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *r
 	}
 
 	if (rc == -EAGAIN) {
-		STAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&qpair->queued_req, req, stailq);
-		return 0;
+		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
 error:
@@ -650,7 +648,15 @@ error:
 int
 nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *req)
 {
-	return _nvme_qpair_submit_request(qpair, req);
+	int rc;
+
+	rc = _nvme_qpair_submit_request(qpair, req);
+	if (rc == -EAGAIN) {
+		STAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&qpair->queued_req, req, stailq);
+		rc = 0;
+	}
+
+	return rc;
 }
 
 void