diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index fdef435887..90242c7e38 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -292,17 +292,9 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_create(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 	ctrlr->feat.volatile_write_cache.bits.wce = 1;
 
 	if (ctrlr->subsys->subtype == SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_DISCOVERY) {
-		/* Don't accept keep-alive timeout for discovery controllers */
-		if (ctrlr->feat.keep_alive_timer.bits.kato != 0) {
-			SPDK_ERRLOG("Discovery controller don't accept keep-alive timeout\n");
-			spdk_bit_array_free(&ctrlr->qpair_mask);
-			free(ctrlr);
-			return NULL;
-		}
-
 		/*
-		 * Discovery controllers use some arbitrary high value in order
-		 * to cleanup stale discovery sessions
+		 * If keep-alive timeout is not set, discovery controllers use some
+		 * arbitrary high value in order to cleanup stale discovery sessions
 		 *
 		 * From the 1.0a nvme-of spec:
 		 * "The Keep Alive command is reserved for
@@ -314,7 +306,9 @@ spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_create(struct spdk_nvmf_subsystem *subsystem,
 		 * actions for Keep Alive Timer expiration".
 		 * kato is in millisecond.
 		 */
-		ctrlr->feat.keep_alive_timer.bits.kato = NVMF_DISC_KATO_IN_MS;
+		if (ctrlr->feat.keep_alive_timer.bits.kato == 0) {
+			ctrlr->feat.keep_alive_timer.bits.kato = NVMF_DISC_KATO_IN_MS;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* Subtract 1 for admin queue, 1 for 0's based */
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
index 742506696d..ae90827880 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c/ctrlr_ut.c
@@ -583,19 +583,44 @@ test_connect(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(rsp.connect_rsp.status_code_specific.invalid.ipo == 42);
 	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr == NULL);
 
-	/* I/O connect to discovery controller keep-alive-timeout should be 0 */
+	/* I/O connect to discovery controller with keep-alive-timeout != 0 */
 	cmd.connect_cmd.qid = 0;
+	cmd.connect_cmd.kato = 120000;
 	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
 	subsystem.subtype = SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_DISCOVERY;
 	subsystem.state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE;
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&qpair.outstanding, &req, link);
 	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
 	poll_threads();
-	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_COMPLETE);
-	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sct == SPDK_NVME_SCT_GENERIC);
-	CU_ASSERT(rsp.nvme_cpl.status.sc == SPDK_NVME_SC_INTERNAL_DEVICE_ERROR);
-	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr == NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
+	CU_ASSERT(nvme_status_success(&rsp.nvme_cpl.status));
+	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr != NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr->keep_alive_poller != NULL);
+	spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_stop_keep_alive_timer(qpair.ctrlr);
+	spdk_bit_array_free(&qpair.ctrlr->qpair_mask);
+	free(qpair.ctrlr);
+	qpair.ctrlr = NULL;
+
+	/* I/O connect to discovery controller with keep-alive-timeout == 0.
+	 *  Then, a fixed timeout value is set to keep-alive-timeout.
+	 */
+	cmd.connect_cmd.kato = 0;
+	memset(&rsp, 0, sizeof(rsp));
+	subsystem.subtype = SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_DISCOVERY;
+	subsystem.state = SPDK_NVMF_SUBSYSTEM_ACTIVE;
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&qpair.outstanding, &req, link);
+	rc = spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_connect(&req);
+	poll_threads();
+	CU_ASSERT(rc == SPDK_NVMF_REQUEST_EXEC_STATUS_ASYNCHRONOUS);
+	CU_ASSERT(nvme_status_success(&rsp.nvme_cpl.status));
+	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr != NULL);
+	CU_ASSERT(qpair.ctrlr->keep_alive_poller != NULL);
+	spdk_nvmf_ctrlr_stop_keep_alive_timer(qpair.ctrlr);
+	spdk_bit_array_free(&qpair.ctrlr->qpair_mask);
+	free(qpair.ctrlr);
+	qpair.ctrlr = NULL;
 	cmd.connect_cmd.qid = 1;
+	cmd.connect_cmd.kato = 120000;
 	subsystem.subtype = SPDK_NVMF_SUBTYPE_NVME;
 
 	/* I/O connect to disabled controller */