diff --git a/lib/nvmf/rdma.c b/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
index 646afd82d..cd8e7206f 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
@@ -1278,6 +1278,8 @@ spdk_nvmf_rdma_request_fill_iovs(struct spdk_nvmf_rdma_transport *rtransport,
 		i++;
 	}
 
+	assert(rdma_req->req.iovcnt <= rqpair->max_send_sge);
+
 	rdma_req->data_from_pool = true;
 
 	return rc;
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/tcp.c b/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
index 1a22e896f..d34c980df 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/tcp.c
@@ -2116,6 +2116,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_tcp_req_fill_iovs(struct spdk_nvmf_tcp_transport *ttransport,
 		i++;
 	}
 
+	assert(tcp_req->req.iovcnt < SPDK_NVMF_MAX_SGL_ENTRIES);
 	tcp_req->data_from_pool = true;
 	return 0;
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/rdma.c/rdma_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/rdma.c/rdma_ut.c
index 369c77ffd..7bd79b5c6 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/rdma.c/rdma_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/rdma.c/rdma_ut.c
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ test_spdk_nvmf_rdma_request_parse_sgl(void)
 	group.group.buf_cache_count = 0;
 	poller.group = &group;
 	rqpair.poller = &poller;
+	rqpair.max_send_sge = SPDK_NVMF_MAX_SGL_ENTRIES;
 
 	sgl = &cmd.nvme_cmd.dptr.sgl1;
 	rdma_req.recv = &recv;