diff --git a/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c b/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
index af677ba0e..91766919b 100644
--- a/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
+++ b/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
@@ -314,32 +314,6 @@ attach_cb(void *cb_ctx, struct spdk_pci_device *dev, struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctr
 	}
 }
 
-static int
-spdk_nvmf_validate_nqn(const char *nqn)
-{
-	size_t len;
-
-	len = strlen(nqn);
-	if (len > SPDK_NVMF_NQN_MAX_LEN) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Invalid NQN \"%s\": length %zu > max %d\n", nqn, len, SPDK_NVMF_NQN_MAX_LEN);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	if (strncasecmp(nqn, "nqn.", 4) != 0) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Invalid NQN \"%s\": NQN must begin with \"nqn.\".\n", nqn);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	/* yyyy-mm. */
-	if (!(isdigit(nqn[4]) && isdigit(nqn[5]) && isdigit(nqn[6]) && isdigit(nqn[7]) &&
-	      nqn[8] == '-' && isdigit(nqn[9]) && isdigit(nqn[10]) && nqn[11] == '.')) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("Invalid date code in NQN \"%s\"\n", nqn);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int
 spdk_nvmf_allocate_lcore(uint64_t mask, uint32_t lcore)
 {
@@ -376,10 +350,6 @@ spdk_nvmf_parse_subsystem(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (spdk_nvmf_validate_nqn(nqn) != 0) {
-		return -1;
-	}
-
 	/* Determine which core to assign to the subsystem */
 	mask = spdk_app_get_core_mask();
 	lcore = spdk_conf_section_get_intval(sp, "Core");
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
index 65853bcd7..a6d574847 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
@@ -99,6 +99,32 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_poller(void *arg)
 	spdk_nvmf_subsystem_poll(subsystem);
 }
 
+static bool
+spdk_nvmf_valid_nqn(const char *nqn)
+{
+	size_t len;
+
+	len = strlen(nqn);
+	if (len >= SPDK_NVMF_NQN_MAX_LEN) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Invalid NQN \"%s\": length %zu > max %d\n", nqn, len, SPDK_NVMF_NQN_MAX_LEN - 1);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	if (strncasecmp(nqn, "nqn.", 4) != 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Invalid NQN \"%s\": NQN must begin with \"nqn.\".\n", nqn);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/* yyyy-mm. */
+	if (!(isdigit(nqn[4]) && isdigit(nqn[5]) && isdigit(nqn[6]) && isdigit(nqn[7]) &&
+	      nqn[8] == '-' && isdigit(nqn[9]) && isdigit(nqn[10]) && nqn[11] == '.')) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Invalid date code in NQN \"%s\"\n", nqn);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	return true;
+}
+
 struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *
 nvmf_create_subsystem(int num, const char *name,
 		      enum spdk_nvmf_subtype subtype,
@@ -106,6 +132,10 @@ nvmf_create_subsystem(int num, const char *name,
 {
 	struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem	*subsystem;
 
+	if (!spdk_nvmf_valid_nqn(name)) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	subsystem = calloc(1, sizeof(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem));
 	if (subsystem == NULL) {
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.h b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.h
index 8a7a4fb1b..e710c58ab 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.h
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem;
 struct spdk_nvmf_request;
 struct nvmf_session;
 
-#define MAX_NQN_SIZE 255
 #define MAX_VIRTUAL_NAMESPACE 16
 
 enum spdk_nvmf_subsystem_mode {
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_controller {
 struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem {
 	uint16_t num;
 	uint32_t lcore;
-	char subnqn[MAX_NQN_SIZE];
+	char subnqn[SPDK_NVMF_NQN_MAX_LEN];
 	enum spdk_nvmf_subsystem_mode mode;
 	enum spdk_nvmf_subtype subtype;
 	struct nvmf_session *session;
diff --git a/test/lib/nvmf/subsystem/subsystem_ut.c b/test/lib/nvmf/subsystem/subsystem_ut.c
index 98f65dad9..b914fe53f 100644
--- a/test/lib/nvmf/subsystem/subsystem_ut.c
+++ b/test/lib/nvmf/subsystem/subsystem_ut.c
@@ -109,33 +109,34 @@ spdk_nvmf_session_poll(struct nvmf_session *session)
 static void
 nvmf_test_create_subsystem(void)
 {
-
-	char correct_name[] = "subsystem1";
-	char *nqn_name;
+	char nqn[256];
 	struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem;
-	subsystem = nvmf_create_subsystem(1, correct_name, SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_NVME, 1);
+
+	strncpy(nqn, "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:subsystem1", sizeof(nqn));
+	subsystem = nvmf_create_subsystem(1, nqn, SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_NVME, 1);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(subsystem != NULL);
 	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(subsystem->num, 1);
 	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(subsystem->lcore, 1);
-	CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(subsystem->subnqn, correct_name);
+	CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(subsystem->subnqn, nqn);
+	nvmf_delete_subsystem(subsystem);
 
-	/* test long name */
-	nqn_name = malloc(256);
-	memset(nqn_name, '\0', 256);
-	memset(nqn_name, 'a', 255);
-	subsystem = nvmf_create_subsystem(2, nqn_name, SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_NVME, 2);
+	/* Longest valid name */
+	strncpy(nqn, "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:", sizeof(nqn));
+	memset(nqn + strlen(nqn), 'a', 222 - strlen(nqn));
+	nqn[222] = '\0';
+	CU_ASSERT(strlen(nqn) == 222);
+	subsystem = nvmf_create_subsystem(2, nqn, SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_NVME, 2);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(subsystem != NULL);
-	CU_ASSERT_STRING_NOT_EQUAL(subsystem->subnqn, nqn_name);
-	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(strlen(subsystem->subnqn) + 1, MAX_NQN_SIZE);
-	free(nqn_name);
+	CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(subsystem->subnqn, nqn);
+	nvmf_delete_subsystem(subsystem);
 
-	nqn_name = malloc(255);
-	memset(nqn_name, '\0', 255);
-	memset(nqn_name, 'a', 254);
-	subsystem = nvmf_create_subsystem(2, nqn_name, SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_NVME, 2);
-	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(subsystem != NULL);
-	CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(subsystem->subnqn, nqn_name);
-	free(nqn_name);
+	/* Name that is one byte longer than allowed */
+	strncpy(nqn, "nqn.2016-06.io.spdk:", sizeof(nqn));
+	memset(nqn + strlen(nqn), 'a', 223 - strlen(nqn));
+	nqn[223] = '\0';
+	CU_ASSERT(strlen(nqn) == 223);
+	subsystem = nvmf_create_subsystem(2, nqn, SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_NVME, 2);
+	CU_ASSERT(subsystem == NULL);
 }
 
 static void