diff --git a/include/spdk/nvmf_transport.h b/include/spdk/nvmf_transport.h
index ef041cc43..d3597d3f7 100644
--- a/include/spdk/nvmf_transport.h
+++ b/include/spdk/nvmf_transport.h
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ struct spdk_nvmf_qpair {
 	uint16_t				qid;
 	uint16_t				sq_head;
 	uint16_t				sq_head_max;
+	bool					connect_received;
 	bool					disconnect_started;
 
 	struct spdk_nvmf_request		*first_fused_req;
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index 4c3e2ca1c..6f9b61d79 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -727,6 +727,7 @@ _nvmf_ctrlr_connect(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 
 	qpair->sq_head_max = cmd->sqsize;
 	qpair->qid = cmd->qid;
+	qpair->connect_received = true;
 
 	if (0 == qpair->qid) {
 		qpair->group->stat.admin_qpairs++;
diff --git a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
index dc00ddca9..1658d6d5a 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/nvmf.c
@@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ _nvmf_qpair_destroy(void *ctx, int status)
 	assert(qpair->state == SPDK_NVMF_QPAIR_DEACTIVATING);
 	qpair_ctx->qid = qpair->qid;
 
-	if (ctrlr) {
+	if (qpair->connect_received) {
 		if (0 == qpair->qid) {
 			assert(qpair->group->stat.current_admin_qpairs > 0);
 			qpair->group->stat.current_admin_qpairs--;
@@ -1054,7 +1054,9 @@ _nvmf_qpair_destroy(void *ctx, int status)
 			assert(qpair->group->stat.current_io_qpairs > 0);
 			qpair->group->stat.current_io_qpairs--;
 		}
+	}
 
+	if (ctrlr) {
 		sgroup = &qpair->group->sgroups[ctrlr->subsys->id];
 		TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(req, &sgroup->queued, link, tmp) {
 			if (req->qpair == qpair) {