diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index 18675e75c..7a3b5aab6 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -324,9 +324,6 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 		}
 	}
 
-	assert(qpair->thread == NULL);
-	qpair->thread = spdk_get_thread();
-
 	ctrlr->num_qpairs++;
 	TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&ctrlr->qpairs, qpair, link);
 	qpair->ctrlr = ctrlr;
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
index 30c3d9dca..bfc1638be 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
@@ -361,6 +361,8 @@ spdk_nvmf_poll_group_add(struct spdk_nvmf_poll_group *group,
 	int rc = -1;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_transport_poll_group *tgroup;
 
+	qpair->group = group;
+
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(tgroup, &group->tgroups, link) {
 		if (tgroup->transport == qpair->transport) {
 			rc = spdk_nvmf_transport_poll_group_add(tgroup, qpair);
@@ -378,6 +380,8 @@ spdk_nvmf_poll_group_remove(struct spdk_nvmf_poll_group *group,
 	int rc = -1;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_transport_poll_group *tgroup;
 
+	qpair->group = NULL;
+
 	TAILQ_FOREACH(tgroup, &group->tgroups, link) {
 		if (tgroup->transport == qpair->transport) {
 			rc = spdk_nvmf_transport_poll_group_remove(tgroup, qpair);
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
index c612e53c0..8abdcc5c5 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
@@ -140,10 +140,9 @@ enum spdk_nvmf_qpair_type {
 struct spdk_nvmf_qpair {
 	struct spdk_nvmf_transport		*transport;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr			*ctrlr;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_poll_group		*group;
 	enum spdk_nvmf_qpair_type		type;
 
-	struct spdk_thread			*thread;
-
 	uint16_t				qid;
 	uint16_t				sq_head;
 	uint16_t				sq_head_max;
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/rdma.c b/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
index 700b55d32..cd8773415 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/rdma.c
@@ -744,6 +744,7 @@ nvmf_rdma_disconnect(struct rdma_cm_event *evt)
 	struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr		*ctrlr;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_rdma_qpair 	*rdma_qpair;
 	struct spdk_nvmf_rdma_qpair	*r, *t;
+	struct spdk_io_channel		*ch;
 
 	if (evt->id == NULL) {
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("disconnect request: missing cm_id\n");
@@ -781,7 +782,8 @@ nvmf_rdma_disconnect(struct rdma_cm_event *evt)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	spdk_thread_send_msg(qpair->thread, nvmf_rdma_handle_disconnect, qpair);
+	ch = spdk_io_channel_from_ctx(qpair->group);
+	spdk_thread_send_msg(spdk_io_channel_get_thread(ch), nvmf_rdma_handle_disconnect, qpair);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/request.c b/lib/nvmf/request.c
index 36821f2f0..e4ec44937 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/request.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/request.c
@@ -71,9 +71,12 @@ spdk_nvmf_request_complete(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 
 	if ((cmd->opc == SPDK_NVME_OPC_FABRIC ||
 	     req->qpair->type == QPAIR_TYPE_AQ) &&
-	    req->qpair->thread) {
+	    req->qpair->group) {
+		struct spdk_io_channel *ch;
+
+		ch = spdk_io_channel_from_ctx(req->qpair->group);
 		/* Pass a message back to the originating thread. */
-		spdk_thread_send_msg(req->qpair->thread,
+		spdk_thread_send_msg(spdk_io_channel_get_thread(ch),
 				     spdk_nvmf_request_complete_on_qpair,
 				     req);
 	} else {