diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index 24c3e1d36..be76a761f 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -902,7 +902,6 @@ nvme_ctrlr_set_num_qpairs(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	}
 	if (spdk_nvme_cpl_is_error(&status.cpl)) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("nvme_set_num_queues failed!\n");
-		return -ENXIO;
 	}
 
 	/* Obtain the number of queues allocated using Get Features. */
@@ -917,26 +916,26 @@ nvme_ctrlr_set_num_qpairs(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	}
 	if (spdk_nvme_cpl_is_error(&status.cpl)) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("nvme_set_num_queues failed!\n");
-		return -ENXIO;
+		ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues = 0;
+	} else {
+		/*
+		 * Data in cdw0 is 0-based.
+		 * Lower 16-bits indicate number of submission queues allocated.
+		 * Upper 16-bits indicate number of completion queues allocated.
+		 */
+		sq_allocated = (status.cpl.cdw0 & 0xFFFF) + 1;
+		cq_allocated = (status.cpl.cdw0 >> 16) + 1;
+
+		/*
+		 * For 1:1 queue mapping, set number of allocated queues to be minimum of
+		 * submission and completion queues.
+		 */
+		min_allocated = spdk_min(sq_allocated, cq_allocated);
+
+		/* Set number of queues to be minimum of requested and actually allocated. */
+		ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues = spdk_min(min_allocated, ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues);
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Data in cdw0 is 0-based.
-	 * Lower 16-bits indicate number of submission queues allocated.
-	 * Upper 16-bits indicate number of completion queues allocated.
-	 */
-	sq_allocated = (status.cpl.cdw0 & 0xFFFF) + 1;
-	cq_allocated = (status.cpl.cdw0 >> 16) + 1;
-
-	/*
-	 * For 1:1 queue mapping, set number of allocated queues to be minimum of
-	 * submission and completion queues.
-	 */
-	min_allocated = spdk_min(sq_allocated, cq_allocated);
-
-	/* Set number of queues to be minimum of requested and actually allocated. */
-	ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues = spdk_min(min_allocated, ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues);
-
 	ctrlr->free_io_qids = spdk_bit_array_create(ctrlr->opts.num_io_queues + 1);
 	if (ctrlr->free_io_qids == NULL) {
 		return -ENOMEM;