diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
index a3fdc21699f..083591c6a0d 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -826,6 +826,10 @@ _nvme_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *r
 
 	nvme_qpair_check_enabled(qpair);
 
+	if (nvme_qpair_get_state(qpair) == NVME_QPAIR_DISCONNECTED) {
+		return -ENXIO;
+	}
+
 	if (req->num_children) {
 		/*
 		 * This is a split (parent) request. Submit all of the children but not the parent
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c/nvme_qpair_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c/nvme_qpair_ut.c
index e34c7041334..3965906b7de 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c/nvme_qpair_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c/nvme_qpair_ut.c
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ test3(void)
 	struct nvme_request		*req;
 	struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr		ctrlr = {};
 
+	qpair.state = NVME_QPAIR_ENABLED;
 	prepare_submit_request_test(&qpair, &ctrlr);
 
 	req = nvme_allocate_request_null(&qpair, expected_success_callback, NULL);