diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index a71eaaa8a..c5876ff22 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -358,6 +358,13 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 		return SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE;
 	}
 
+	if (subsystem->state != SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("Subsystem '%s' is not ready\n", subnqn);
+		rsp->status.sct = SPDK_NVME_SCT_COMMAND_SPECIFIC;
+		rsp->status.sc = SPDK_NVMF_FABRIC_SC_CONTROLLER_BUSY;
+		return SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE;
+	}
+
 	/* Ensure that hostnqn is null terminated */
 	end = memchr(data->hostnqn, '\0', SPDK_NVMF_NQN_MAX_LEN + 1);
 	if (!end) {
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_discovery.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_discovery.c
index c5e325c2a..ef0764d63 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_discovery.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_discovery.c
@@ -71,7 +71,9 @@ nvmf_update_discovery_log(struct spdk_nvmf_tgt *tgt)
 
 	for (sid = 0; sid < tgt->max_subsystems; sid++) {
 		subsystem = tgt->subsystems[sid];
-		if (subsystem == NULL) {
+		if ((subsystem == NULL) ||
+		    (subsystem->state == SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_INACTIVE) ||
+		    (subsystem->state == SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_DEACTIVATING)) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
index 1458bf97d..6f0bc5755 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
@@ -308,6 +308,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 	TAILQ_INIT(&subsystem.ctrlrs);
 	subsystem.tgt = &tgt;
 	subsystem.subtype = SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_NVME;
+	subsystem.state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE;
 	snprintf(subsystem.subnqn, sizeof(subsystem.subnqn), "%s", subnqn);
 
 	memset(&cmd, 0, sizeof(cmd));
@@ -483,6 +484,7 @@ test_connect(void)
 	/* I/O connect to discovery controller */
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	subsystem.subtype = SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_DISCOVERY;
+	subsystem.state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE;
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
 	poll_threads();
 	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_discovery.c/ctrlr_discovery_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_discovery.c/ctrlr_discovery_ut.c
index 8e3de340b..235d4ea72 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_discovery.c/ctrlr_discovery_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr_discovery.c/ctrlr_discovery_ut.c
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ test_discovery_log(void)
 	snprintf(trid.traddr, sizeof(trid.traddr), "1234");
 	snprintf(trid.trsvcid, sizeof(trid.trsvcid), "5678");
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(spdk_nvmf_subsystem_add_listener(subsystem, &trid) == 0);
+	subsystem->state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE;
 
 	/* Get only genctr (first field in the header) */
 	memset(buffer, 0xCC, sizeof(buffer));
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ test_discovery_log(void)
 					 offsetof(struct spdk_nvmf_discovery_log_page, entries[0]),
 					 sizeof(*entry));
 	CU_ASSERT(entry->trtype == 42);
+	subsystem->state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_INACTIVE;
 	spdk_nvmf_subsystem_destroy(subsystem);
 	free(tgt.subsystems);
 	free(tgt.discovery_log_page);