diff --git a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
index 4d18be7e8c..e3cde95130 100644
--- a/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
+++ b/examples/nvme/perf/perf.c
@@ -812,6 +812,7 @@ init_ns_worker_ctx(struct ns_worker_ctx *ns_ctx)
 		if (opts.io_queue_requests < ns_ctx->entry->num_io_requests) {
 			opts.io_queue_requests = ns_ctx->entry->num_io_requests;
 		}
+		opts.delay_pcie_doorbell = true;
 
 		ns_ctx->u.nvme.qpair = spdk_nvme_ctrlr_alloc_io_qpair(ns_ctx->entry->u.nvme.ctrlr, &opts,
 				       sizeof(opts));