diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
index 7d619cdfe..c502b8045 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
@@ -1628,6 +1628,8 @@ void
 nvme_rdma_ctrlr_disconnect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 {
 	struct nvme_rdma_qpair *rqpair = nvme_rdma_qpair(qpair);
+	struct nvme_rdma_ctrlr *rctrlr;
+	struct nvme_rdma_cm_event_entry *entry, *tmp;
 
 	nvme_qpair_set_state(qpair, NVME_QPAIR_DISABLED);
 	nvme_rdma_unregister_mem(rqpair);
@@ -1639,6 +1641,21 @@ nvme_rdma_ctrlr_disconnect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme
 		rqpair->evt = NULL;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * This works because we have the controller lock both in
+	 * this function and in the function where we add new events.
+	 */
+	if (qpair->ctrlr != NULL) {
+		rctrlr = nvme_rdma_ctrlr(qpair->ctrlr);
+		STAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(entry, &rctrlr->pending_cm_events, link, tmp) {
+			if (nvme_rdma_qpair(entry->evt->id->context) == rqpair) {
+				STAILQ_REMOVE(&rctrlr->pending_cm_events, entry, nvme_rdma_cm_event_entry, link);
+				rdma_ack_cm_event(entry->evt);
+				STAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&rctrlr->free_cm_events, entry, link);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (rqpair->cm_id) {
 		if (rqpair->cm_id->qp) {
 			rdma_destroy_qp(rqpair->cm_id);