diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
index de039ef4b..4733fcafa 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
@@ -883,17 +883,18 @@ spdk_nvmf_poll_group_add_subsystem(struct spdk_nvmf_poll_group *group,
 				   struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 				   spdk_nvmf_poll_group_mod_done cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
-	struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem_poll_group *sgroup;
 	int rc = 0;
+	struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem_poll_group *sgroup = &group->sgroups[subsystem->id];
+
+	TAILQ_INIT(&sgroup->queued);
 
 	rc = poll_group_update_subsystem(group, subsystem);
 	if (rc) {
+		sgroup->state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_INACTIVE;
 		goto fini;
 	}
 
-	sgroup = &group->sgroups[subsystem->id];
 	sgroup->state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE;
-	TAILQ_INIT(&sgroup->queued);
 fini:
 	if (cb_fn) {
 		cb_fn(cb_arg, rc);
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
index cf13f892c..874da4a4b 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
@@ -389,6 +389,11 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_set_state(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 		    state == SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE) {
 			expected_old_state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_RESUMING;
 		}
+		/* This is for the case when activating the subsystem fails. */
+		if (actual_old_state == SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVATING &&
+		    state == SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_DEACTIVATING) {
+			expected_old_state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVATING;
+		}
 		actual_old_state = __sync_val_compare_and_swap(&subsystem->state, expected_old_state, state);
 	}
 	assert(actual_old_state == expected_old_state);