diff --git a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme.c b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme.c
index 9db2b14d13d0..8196ff78c854 100644
--- a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme.c
+++ b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme.c
@@ -327,8 +327,10 @@ nvme_notify(struct nvme_consumer *cons,
 		 */
 		return;
 	}
-	for (ns_idx = 0; ns_idx < ctrlr->cdata.nn; ns_idx++) {
+	for (ns_idx = 0; ns_idx < min(ctrlr->cdata.nn, NVME_MAX_NAMESPACES); ns_idx++) {
 		ns = &ctrlr->ns[ns_idx];
+		if (ns->data.nsze == 0)
+			continue;
 		if (cons->ns_fn != NULL)
 			ns->cons_cookie[cons->id] =
 			    (*cons->ns_fn)(ns, ctrlr_cookie);
diff --git a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index fd836f991090..c3a818f3d637 100644
--- a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -458,13 +458,11 @@ static int
 nvme_ctrlr_construct_namespaces(struct nvme_controller *ctrlr)
 {
 	struct nvme_namespace	*ns;
-	int			i, status;
+	int			i;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < ctrlr->cdata.nn; i++) {
+	for (i = 0; i < min(ctrlr->cdata.nn, NVME_MAX_NAMESPACES); i++) {
 		ns = &ctrlr->ns[i];
-		status = nvme_ns_construct(ns, i+1, ctrlr);
-		if (status != 0)
-			return (status);
+		nvme_ns_construct(ns, i+1, ctrlr);
 	}
 
 	return (0);
diff --git a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_ns.c b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_ns.c
index 754d074c4937..80364b4a0793 100644
--- a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_ns.c
+++ b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_ns.c
@@ -511,6 +511,15 @@ nvme_ns_construct(struct nvme_namespace *ns, uint16_t id,
 		return (ENXIO);
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If the size of is zero, chances are this isn't a valid
+	 * namespace (eg one that's not been configured yet). The
+	 * standard says the entire id will be zeros, so this is a
+	 * cheap way to test for that.
+	 */
+	if (ns->data.nsze == 0)
+		return (ENXIO);
+
 	/*
 	 * Note: format is a 0-based value, so > is appropriate here,
 	 *  not >=.
@@ -518,7 +527,7 @@ nvme_ns_construct(struct nvme_namespace *ns, uint16_t id,
 	if (ns->data.flbas.format > ns->data.nlbaf) {
 		printf("lba format %d exceeds number supported (%d)\n",
 		    ns->data.flbas.format, ns->data.nlbaf+1);
-		return (1);
+		return (ENXIO);
 	}
 
 	if (ctrlr->cdata.oncs.dsm)