diff --git a/include/spdk/nvmf.h b/include/spdk/nvmf.h
index 9e35b668a..355f77c66 100644
--- a/include/spdk/nvmf.h
+++ b/include/spdk/nvmf.h
@@ -171,10 +171,12 @@ typedef void (*spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done)(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem
  * \param cb_fn A function that will be called once the subsystem has changed state.
  * \param cb_arg Argument passed to cb_fn.
  *
+ * \return 0 on success. Negated errno on failure. The callback provided
+ *	     will only be called on success.
  */
-void spdk_nvmf_subsystem_start(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
-			       spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
-			       void *cb_arg);
+int spdk_nvmf_subsystem_start(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
+			      spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
+			      void *cb_arg);
 
 /**
  * Transition an NVMe-oF subsystem from Active to Inactive state.
@@ -183,10 +185,12 @@ void spdk_nvmf_subsystem_start(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
  * \param cb_fn A function that will be called once the subsystem has changed state.
  * \param cb_arg Argument passed to cb_fn.
  *
+ * \return 0 on success. Negated errno on failure. The callback provided
+ *	     will only be called on success.
  */
-void spdk_nvmf_subsystem_stop(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
-			      spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
-			      void *cb_arg);
+int spdk_nvmf_subsystem_stop(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
+			     spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
+			     void *cb_arg);
 
 /**
  * Transition an NVMe-oF subsystem from Active to Paused state.
@@ -195,10 +199,12 @@ void spdk_nvmf_subsystem_stop(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
  * \param cb_fn A function that will be called once the subsystem has changed state.
  * \param cb_arg Argument passed to cb_fn.
  *
+ * \return 0 on success. Negated errno on failure. The callback provided
+ *	     will only be called on success.
  */
-void spdk_nvmf_subsystem_pause(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
-			       spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
-			       void *cb_arg);
+int spdk_nvmf_subsystem_pause(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
+			      spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
+			      void *cb_arg);
 
 /**
  * Transition an NVMe-oF subsystem from Paused to Active state.
@@ -207,10 +213,12 @@ void spdk_nvmf_subsystem_pause(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
  * \param cb_fn A function that will be called once the subsystem has changed state.
  * \param cb_arg Argument passed to cb_fn.
  *
+ * \return 0 on success. Negated errno on failure. The callback provided
+ *	     will only be called on success.
  */
-void spdk_nvmf_subsystem_resume(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
-				spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
-				void *cb_arg);
+int spdk_nvmf_subsystem_resume(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
+			       spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
+			       void *cb_arg);
 
 /**
  * Search the target for a subsystem with the given NQN
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
index 5f0066ac5..7de06e5ef 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
@@ -395,7 +395,9 @@ subsystem_state_change_done(struct spdk_io_channel_iter *i, int status)
 		}
 	}
 
-	ctx->cb_fn(ctx->subsystem, ctx->cb_arg, status);
+	if (ctx->cb_fn) {
+		ctx->cb_fn(ctx->subsystem, ctx->cb_arg, status);
+	}
 	free(ctx);
 }
 
@@ -433,7 +435,7 @@ subsystem_state_change_on_pg(struct spdk_io_channel_iter *i)
 	spdk_for_each_channel_continue(i, rc);
 }
 
-static void
+static int
 spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 				 enum spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state requested_state,
 				 spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
@@ -459,21 +461,18 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 		break;
 	default:
 		assert(false);
-		cb_fn(subsystem, cb_arg, -EINVAL);
-		return;
+		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
 	ctx = calloc(1, sizeof(*ctx));
 	if (!ctx) {
-		cb_fn(subsystem, cb_arg, -ENOMEM);
-		return;
+		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_subsystem_set_state(subsystem, intermediate_state);
 	if (rc) {
 		free(ctx);
-		cb_fn(subsystem, cb_arg, -1);
-		return;
+		return rc;
 	}
 
 	ctx->subsystem = subsystem;
@@ -485,38 +484,40 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 			      subsystem_state_change_on_pg,
 			      ctx,
 			      subsystem_state_change_done);
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 spdk_nvmf_subsystem_start(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 			  spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
 			  void *cb_arg)
 {
-	spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(subsystem, SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE, cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	return spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(subsystem, SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE, cb_fn, cb_arg);
 }
 
-void
+int
 spdk_nvmf_subsystem_stop(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 			 spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
 			 void *cb_arg)
 {
-	spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(subsystem, SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_INACTIVE, cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	return spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(subsystem, SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_INACTIVE, cb_fn, cb_arg);
 }
 
-void
+int
 spdk_nvmf_subsystem_pause(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 			  spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
 			  void *cb_arg)
 {
-	spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(subsystem, SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_PAUSED, cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	return spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(subsystem, SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_PAUSED, cb_fn, cb_arg);
 }
 
-void
+int
 spdk_nvmf_subsystem_resume(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 			   spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change_done cb_fn,
 			   void *cb_arg)
 {
-	spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(subsystem, SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE, cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	return spdk_nvmf_subsystem_state_change(subsystem, SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE, cb_fn, cb_arg);
 }
 
 struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *