diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index 2736fdbf8..12c1fc6af 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -886,7 +886,6 @@ nvme_allocate_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair,
 	req->cb_arg = cb_arg;
 	req->payload = *payload;
 	req->payload_size = payload_size;
-	req->qpair = qpair;
 	req->pid = g_spdk_nvme_pid;
 	req->submit_tick = 0;
 
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
index d205c24ee..7e1194d11 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -497,6 +497,7 @@ nvme_qpair_init(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint16_t id,
 	for (i = 0; i < num_requests; i++) {
 		struct nvme_request *req = qpair->req_buf + i * req_size_padded;
 
+		req->qpair = qpair;
 		STAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&qpair->free_req, req, stailq);
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme.c/nvme_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme.c/nvme_ut.c
index 76193087e..45a64c0c5 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme.c/nvme_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme.c/nvme_ut.c
@@ -623,13 +623,12 @@ test_nvme_allocate_request(void)
 	req = nvme_allocate_request(&qpair, &payload, payload_struct_size,
 				    cb_fn, cb_arg);
 
-	/* all the req elements should now match the passed in paramters */
+	/* all the req elements should now match the passed in parameters */
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(req != NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT(req->cb_fn == cb_fn);
 	CU_ASSERT(req->cb_arg == cb_arg);
 	CU_ASSERT(memcmp(&req->payload, &payload, payload_struct_size) == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(req->payload_size == payload_struct_size);
-	CU_ASSERT(req->qpair == &qpair);
 	CU_ASSERT(req->pid == getpid());
 }
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_cmd.c/nvme_ns_cmd_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_cmd.c/nvme_ns_cmd_ut.c
index d9fefeb65..17a5f6128 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_cmd.c/nvme_ns_cmd_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_cmd.c/nvme_ns_cmd_ut.c
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ prepare_for_test(struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns, struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 	for (i = 0; i < num_requests; i++) {
 		struct nvme_request *req = qpair->req_buf + i * sizeof(struct nvme_request);
 
+		req->qpair = qpair;
 		STAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&qpair->free_req, req, stailq);
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_ocssd_cmd.c/nvme_ns_ocssd_cmd_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_ocssd_cmd.c/nvme_ns_ocssd_cmd_ut.c
index 88f0f30b3..f621482ef 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_ocssd_cmd.c/nvme_ns_ocssd_cmd_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_ns_ocssd_cmd.c/nvme_ns_ocssd_cmd_ut.c
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ prepare_for_test(struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns, struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 	for (i = 0; i < num_requests; i++) {
 		struct nvme_request *req = qpair->req_buf + i * sizeof(struct nvme_request);
 
+		req->qpair = qpair;
 		STAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&qpair->free_req, req, stailq);
 	}