diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index 960e10abdf..20fd3fa93b 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@ error:
 }
 
 int
-nvme_ctrlr_reset(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
+spdk_nvme_ctrlr_reset(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
 	struct spdk_nvme_qpair	*qpair;
@@ -1032,23 +1032,15 @@ nvme_ctrlr_reset(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 
 out:
 	ctrlr->is_resetting = false;
+	if (rc) {
+		nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
+	}
 
 	nvme_robust_mutex_unlock(&ctrlr->ctrlr_lock);
 
 	return rc;
 }
 
-int
-spdk_nvme_ctrlr_reset(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
-{
-	if (nvme_ctrlr_reset(ctrlr) != 0) {
-		nvme_ctrlr_fail(ctrlr, false);
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static void
 nvme_ctrlr_identify_done(void *arg, const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cpl)
 {