diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index e7a081f7a7..95e0deee41 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -991,10 +991,9 @@ struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *spdk_nvme_get_ctrlr_by_trid_unsafe(
 	int nvme_ ## name ## _ctrlr_free_cmb_io_buffer(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, void *buf, size_t size); \
 	int nvme_ ## name ## _ctrlr_delete_io_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair); \
 	int nvme_ ## name ## _ctrlr_reconnect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair); \
-	int nvme_ ## name ## _qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair); \
+	void nvme_ ## name ## _qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr); \
 	int nvme_ ## name ## _qpair_disable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair); \
 	int nvme_ ## name ## _qpair_reset(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair); \
-	int nvme_ ## name ## _qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair); \
 	int nvme_ ## name ## _qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *req); \
 	int32_t nvme_ ## name ## _qpair_process_completions(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t max_completions); \
 	void nvme_ ## name ## _admin_qpair_abort_aers(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair); \
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
index daa654a130..a914617ae4 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
@@ -1410,35 +1410,10 @@ nvme_pcie_qpair_destroy(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void
-nvme_pcie_admin_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
+void
+nvme_pcie_qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr)
 {
-	/*
-	 * Manually abort each outstanding admin command.  Do not retry
-	 *  admin commands found here, since they will be left over from
-	 *  a controller reset and its likely the context in which the
-	 *  command was issued no longer applies.
-	 */
-	nvme_pcie_qpair_abort_trackers(qpair, 1 /* do not retry */);
-}
-
-static void
-nvme_pcie_io_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
-{
-	/* Manually abort each outstanding I/O. */
-	nvme_pcie_qpair_abort_trackers(qpair, 0);
-}
-
-int
-nvme_pcie_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
-{
-	if (nvme_qpair_is_io_queue(qpair)) {
-		nvme_pcie_io_qpair_enable(qpair);
-	} else {
-		nvme_pcie_admin_qpair_enable(qpair);
-	}
-
-	return 0;
+	nvme_pcie_qpair_abort_trackers(qpair, dnr);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1463,15 +1438,6 @@ nvme_pcie_qpair_disable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-
-int
-nvme_pcie_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
-{
-	nvme_pcie_qpair_abort_trackers(qpair, 1 /* do not retry */);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int
 nvme_pcie_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 				 struct spdk_nvme_qpair *io_que, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn,
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
index 67162b333c..7bcb7ac2ef 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include "nvme_internal.h"
 #include "spdk/nvme_ocssd.h"
 
-static void nvme_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair);
+static void nvme_qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr);
 
 struct nvme_string {
 	uint16_t	value;
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ spdk_nvme_qpair_process_completions(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t max_
 	struct nvme_request *req, *tmp;
 
 	if (qpair->ctrlr->is_failed) {
-		nvme_qpair_fail(qpair);
+		nvme_qpair_abort_reqs(qpair, 1 /* do not retry */);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ nvme_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	}
 
 	qpair->is_enabled = true;
-	nvme_transport_qpair_enable(qpair);
+	nvme_transport_qpair_abort_reqs(qpair, 0 /* retry */);
 }
 
 void
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ nvme_qpair_disable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 }
 
 static void
-nvme_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
+nvme_qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr)
 {
 	struct nvme_request		*req;
 
@@ -631,10 +631,10 @@ nvme_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 		STAILQ_REMOVE_HEAD(&qpair->queued_req, stailq);
 		SPDK_ERRLOG("failing queued i/o\n");
 		nvme_qpair_manual_complete_request(qpair, req, SPDK_NVME_SCT_GENERIC,
-						   SPDK_NVME_SC_ABORTED_BY_REQUEST, true);
+						   SPDK_NVME_SC_ABORTED_BY_REQUEST, dnr);
 	}
 
-	nvme_transport_qpair_fail(qpair);
+	nvme_transport_qpair_abort_reqs(qpair, dnr);
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
index 0ef69332ea..662fa9d1fe 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_rdma.c
@@ -1334,7 +1334,7 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_destroy(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	if (!qpair) {
 		return -1;
 	}
-	nvme_rdma_qpair_fail(qpair);
+	nvme_rdma_qpair_abort_reqs(qpair, 1);
 	nvme_qpair_deinit(qpair);
 
 	rqpair = nvme_rdma_qpair(qpair);
@@ -1598,13 +1598,6 @@ nvme_rdma_ctrlr_reconnect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_
 	return nvme_rdma_qpair_connect(nvme_rdma_qpair(qpair));
 }
 
-int
-nvme_rdma_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
-{
-	/* Currently, doing nothing here */
-	return 0;
-}
-
 int
 nvme_rdma_qpair_disable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 {
@@ -1619,13 +1612,9 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_reset(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int
-nvme_rdma_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
+void
+nvme_rdma_qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr)
 {
-	/*
-	 * If the qpair is really failed, the connection is broken
-	 * and we need to flush back all I/O
-	 */
 	struct spdk_nvme_rdma_req *rdma_req, *tmp;
 	struct nvme_request *req;
 	struct spdk_nvme_cpl cpl;
@@ -1633,6 +1622,7 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 
 	cpl.status.sc = SPDK_NVME_SC_ABORTED_SQ_DELETION;
 	cpl.status.sct = SPDK_NVME_SCT_GENERIC;
+	cpl.status.dnr = dnr;
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(rdma_req, &rqpair->outstanding_reqs, link, tmp) {
 		assert(rdma_req->req != NULL);
@@ -1641,8 +1631,6 @@ nvme_rdma_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 		nvme_rdma_req_complete(req, &cpl);
 		nvme_rdma_req_put(rqpair, rdma_req);
 	}
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
index 811f1b5946..9c48ae418d 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_tcp.c
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ nvme_tcp_qpair_destroy(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	nvme_tcp_qpair_fail(qpair);
+	nvme_tcp_qpair_abort_reqs(qpair, 1);
 	nvme_qpair_deinit(qpair);
 
 	tqpair = nvme_tcp_qpair(qpair);
@@ -735,12 +735,6 @@ nvme_tcp_ctrlr_reconnect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_nvme_q
 	return -1;
 }
 
-int
-nvme_tcp_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
-{
-	return 0;
-}
-
 int
 nvme_tcp_qpair_disable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 {
@@ -761,13 +755,9 @@ nvme_tcp_req_complete(struct nvme_request *req,
 	nvme_free_request(req);
 }
 
-int
-nvme_tcp_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
+void
+nvme_tcp_qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr)
 {
-	/*
-	 * If the qpair is really failed, the connection is broken
-	 * and we need to flush back all I/O
-	 */
 	struct nvme_tcp_req *tcp_req, *tmp;
 	struct nvme_request *req;
 	struct spdk_nvme_cpl cpl;
@@ -775,6 +765,7 @@ nvme_tcp_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 
 	cpl.status.sc = SPDK_NVME_SC_ABORTED_SQ_DELETION;
 	cpl.status.sct = SPDK_NVME_SCT_GENERIC;
+	cpl.status.dnr = dnr;
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(tcp_req, &tqpair->outstanding_reqs, link, tmp) {
 		assert(tcp_req->req != NULL);
@@ -783,8 +774,6 @@ nvme_tcp_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 		nvme_tcp_req_complete(req, &cpl);
 		nvme_tcp_req_put(tqpair, tcp_req);
 	}
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_transport.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_transport.c
index c408f5b4df..f4417d70e5 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_transport.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_transport.c
@@ -185,10 +185,11 @@ nvme_transport_ctrlr_reconnect_qpair(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, struct spdk_
 	NVME_TRANSPORT_CALL(ctrlr->trid.trtype, ctrlr_reconnect_qpair, (ctrlr, qpair));
 }
 
-int
-nvme_transport_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
+void
+nvme_transport_qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr)
 {
-	NVME_TRANSPORT_CALL(qpair->trtype, qpair_enable, (qpair));
+	assert(dnr <= 1);
+	NVME_TRANSPORT_CALL(qpair->trtype, qpair_abort_reqs, (qpair, dnr));
 }
 
 int
@@ -203,12 +204,6 @@ nvme_transport_qpair_reset(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 	NVME_TRANSPORT_CALL(qpair->trtype, qpair_reset, (qpair));
 }
 
-int
-nvme_transport_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
-{
-	NVME_TRANSPORT_CALL(qpair->trtype, qpair_fail, (qpair));
-}
-
 int
 nvme_transport_qpair_submit_request(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, struct nvme_request *req)
 {
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c/nvme_pcie_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c/nvme_pcie_ut.c
index be14866ad0..f8cca9d387 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c/nvme_pcie_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c/nvme_pcie_ut.c
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ test_hw_sgl_req(void)
 	nvme_free_request(req);
 }
 
-static void test_nvme_qpair_fail(void)
+static void test_nvme_qpair_abort_reqs(void)
 {
 	struct spdk_nvme_qpair		qpair = {};
 	struct nvme_request		*req = NULL;
@@ -590,14 +590,14 @@ static void test_nvme_qpair_fail(void)
 	tr_temp->req->cmd.cid = tr_temp->cid;
 
 	TAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&qpair.outstanding_tr, tr_temp, tq_list);
-	nvme_qpair_fail(&qpair);
+	nvme_qpair_abort_reqs(&qpair, true);
 	CU_ASSERT_TRUE(TAILQ_EMPTY(&qpair.outstanding_tr));
 
 	req = nvme_allocate_request_null(expected_failure_callback, NULL);
 	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(req != NULL);
 
 	STAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&qpair.queued_req, req, stailq);
-	nvme_qpair_fail(&qpair);
+	nvme_qpair_abort_reqs(&qpair, true);
 	CU_ASSERT_TRUE(STAILQ_EMPTY(&qpair.queued_req));
 
 	cleanup_submit_request_test(&qpair);
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c/nvme_qpair_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c/nvme_qpair_ut.c
index ec44d526b7..93d5052c92 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c/nvme_qpair_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/nvme/nvme_qpair.c/nvme_qpair_ut.c
@@ -56,22 +56,15 @@ nvme_request_remove_child(struct nvme_request *parent,
 	TAILQ_REMOVE(&parent->children, child, child_tailq);
 }
 
-int
-nvme_transport_qpair_enable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
-{
-	return 0;
-}
-
 int
 nvme_transport_qpair_disable(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
 {
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int
-nvme_transport_qpair_fail(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair)
+void
+nvme_transport_qpair_abort_reqs(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t dnr)
 {
-	return 0;
 }
 
 int