diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
index 3ff83a67c..dbed700a0 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_internal.h
@@ -447,6 +447,9 @@ void spdk_nvmf_subsystem_remove_all_listeners(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsys
 		bool stop);
 struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *spdk_nvmf_subsystem_get_ctrlr(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 		uint16_t cntlid);
+struct spdk_nvmf_listener *spdk_nvmf_subsystem_find_listener(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
+		const struct spdk_nvme_transport_id *trid);
+
 int spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_async_event_ns_notice(struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr);
 void spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_async_event_reservation_notification(struct spdk_nvmf_ctrlr *ctrlr);
 void spdk_nvmf_ns_reservation_request(void *ctx);
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_rpc.c b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_rpc.c
index 061de38d5..9855c942a 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf_rpc.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf_rpc.c
@@ -655,8 +655,10 @@ nvmf_rpc_listen_paused(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 	struct nvmf_rpc_listener_ctx *ctx = cb_arg;
 
 	if (ctx->op == NVMF_RPC_LISTEN_ADD) {
-		spdk_nvmf_tgt_listen(ctx->tgt, &ctx->trid, nvmf_rpc_tgt_listen, ctx);
-		return;
+		if (!spdk_nvmf_subsystem_find_listener(subsystem, &ctx->trid)) {
+			spdk_nvmf_tgt_listen(ctx->tgt, &ctx->trid, nvmf_rpc_tgt_listen, ctx);
+			return;
+		}
 	} else if (ctx->op == NVMF_RPC_LISTEN_REMOVE) {
 		if (spdk_nvmf_subsystem_remove_listener(subsystem, &ctx->trid)) {
 			SPDK_ERRLOG("Unable to remove listener.\n");
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
index eace99f97..c62797d6d 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/subsystem.c
@@ -732,9 +732,9 @@ spdk_nvmf_host_get_nqn(struct spdk_nvmf_host *host)
 	return host->nqn;
 }
 
-static struct spdk_nvmf_listener *
-_spdk_nvmf_subsystem_find_listener(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
-				   const struct spdk_nvme_transport_id *trid)
+struct spdk_nvmf_listener *
+spdk_nvmf_subsystem_find_listener(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
+				  const struct spdk_nvme_transport_id *trid)
 {
 	struct spdk_nvmf_listener *listener;
 
@@ -759,7 +759,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_add_listener(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
-	if (_spdk_nvmf_subsystem_find_listener(subsystem, trid)) {
+	if (spdk_nvmf_subsystem_find_listener(subsystem, trid)) {
 		/* Listener already exists in this subsystem */
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_subsystem_remove_listener(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
-	listener = _spdk_nvmf_subsystem_find_listener(subsystem, trid);
+	listener = spdk_nvmf_subsystem_find_listener(subsystem, trid);
 	if (listener == NULL) {
 		return -ENOENT;
 	}