diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index 9aa38223a..f34b07daa 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -1312,6 +1312,12 @@ nvme_ctrlr_set_state(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, enum nvme_ctrlr_state state,
 	uint64_t ticks_per_ms, timeout_in_ticks, now_ticks;
 
 	ctrlr->state = state;
+	if (timeout_in_ms == NVME_TIMEOUT_KEEP_EXISTING) {
+		NVME_CTRLR_DEBUGLOG(ctrlr, "setting state to %s (keeping existing timeout)\n",
+				    nvme_ctrlr_state_string(ctrlr->state));
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (timeout_in_ms == NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE) {
 		goto inf;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index a2875b690..721c6b942 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -740,7 +740,8 @@ enum nvme_ctrlr_state {
 	NVME_CTRLR_STATE_ERROR
 };
 
-#define NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE	0
+#define NVME_TIMEOUT_INFINITE		0
+#define NVME_TIMEOUT_KEEP_EXISTING	UINT64_MAX
 
 struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_aer_completion_list {
 	struct spdk_nvme_cpl	cpl;