diff --git a/drivers/raw/ioat/dpdk_idxd_cfg.py b/drivers/raw/ioat/dpdk_idxd_cfg.py
index bce4bb5bd4..56e44063e4 100755
--- a/drivers/raw/ioat/dpdk_idxd_cfg.py
+++ b/drivers/raw/ioat/dpdk_idxd_cfg.py
@@ -39,15 +39,15 @@ def configure_dsa(dsa_id, queues):
     max_queues = dsa_dir.read_int("max_work_queues")
     max_tokens = dsa_dir.read_int("max_tokens")
 
-    # we want one engine per group
-    nb_groups = min(max_engines, max_groups)
-    for grp in range(nb_groups):
-        dsa_dir.write_values({f"engine{dsa_id}.{grp}/group_id": grp})
-
     nb_queues = min(queues, max_queues)
     if queues > nb_queues:
         print(f"Setting number of queues to max supported value: {max_queues}")
 
+    # we want one engine per group, and no more engines than queues
+    nb_groups = min(max_engines, max_groups, nb_queues)
+    for grp in range(nb_groups):
+        dsa_dir.write_values({f"engine{dsa_id}.{grp}/group_id": grp})
+
     # configure each queue
     for q in range(nb_queues):
         wq_dir = SysfsDir(os.path.join(dsa_dir.path, f"wq{dsa_id}.{q}"))