diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index 20badddf9..eeea4b295 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -485,13 +485,14 @@ static void
 nvme_ctrlr_set_state(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, enum nvme_ctrlr_state state,
 		     uint64_t timeout_in_ms)
 {
-	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_NVME, "setting state to %s (timeout %" PRIu64 " ms)\n",
-		      nvme_ctrlr_state_string(ctrlr->state), timeout_in_ms);
-
 	ctrlr->state = state;
 	if (timeout_in_ms == NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE) {
+		SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_NVME, "setting state to %s (no timeout)\n",
+			      nvme_ctrlr_state_string(ctrlr->state));
 		ctrlr->state_timeout_tsc = NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE;
 	} else {
+		SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_NVME, "setting state to %s (timeout %" PRIu64 " ms)\n",
+			      nvme_ctrlr_state_string(ctrlr->state), timeout_in_ms);
 		ctrlr->state_timeout_tsc = spdk_get_ticks() + (timeout_in_ms * spdk_get_ticks_hz()) / 1000;
 	}
 }