diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
index 7cf40c382..8a52ac855 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -449,6 +449,10 @@ spdk_nvme_qpair_process_completions(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t max_
 
 	qpair->in_completion_context = 1;
 	ret = nvme_transport_qpair_process_completions(qpair, max_completions);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("CQ error, abort requests after transport retry counter exceeded\n");
+		qpair->ctrlr->is_failed = true;
+	}
 	qpair->in_completion_context = 0;
 	if (qpair->delete_after_completion_context) {
 		/*