diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
index f99d12bd3e..8d27a4dec1 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr.c
@@ -422,10 +422,15 @@ static int
 nvme_ctrlr_identify(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 {
 	struct nvme_completion_poll_status	status;
+	int					rc;
 
 	status.done = false;
-	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(ctrlr, &ctrlr->cdata,
-					   nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+	rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(ctrlr, &ctrlr->cdata,
+						nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		return rc;
+	}
+
 	while (status.done == false) {
 		nvme_qpair_process_completions(&ctrlr->adminq, 0);
 	}
@@ -452,6 +457,7 @@ nvme_ctrlr_set_num_qpairs(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	struct nvme_driver			*driver = &g_nvme_driver;
 	struct nvme_completion_poll_status	status;
 	int					cq_allocated, sq_allocated;
+	int					rc;
 	uint32_t				max_io_queues;
 
 	status.done = false;
@@ -460,8 +466,12 @@ nvme_ctrlr_set_num_qpairs(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	max_io_queues = driver->max_io_queues;
 	nvme_mutex_unlock(&driver->lock);
 
-	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_num_queues(ctrlr, max_io_queues,
-				      nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+	rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_num_queues(ctrlr, max_io_queues,
+					   nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		return rc;
+	}
+
 	while (status.done == false) {
 		nvme_qpair_process_completions(&ctrlr->adminq, 0);
 	}
@@ -493,6 +503,7 @@ nvme_ctrlr_create_qpairs(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	struct nvme_completion_poll_status	status;
 	struct spdk_nvme_qpair			*qpair;
 	uint32_t				i;
+	int					rc;
 
 	if (nvme_ctrlr_construct_io_qpairs(ctrlr)) {
 		nvme_printf(ctrlr, "nvme_ctrlr_construct_io_qpairs failed!\n");
@@ -503,8 +514,12 @@ nvme_ctrlr_create_qpairs(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 		qpair = &ctrlr->ioq[i];
 
 		status.done = false;
-		nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(ctrlr, qpair,
-					    nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+		rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(ctrlr, qpair,
+						 nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+		if (rc != 0) {
+			return rc;
+		}
+
 		while (status.done == false) {
 			nvme_qpair_process_completions(&ctrlr->adminq, 0);
 		}
@@ -514,8 +529,12 @@ nvme_ctrlr_create_qpairs(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 		}
 
 		status.done = false;
-		nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_sq(qpair->ctrlr, qpair,
-					    nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+		rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_sq(qpair->ctrlr, qpair,
+						 nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+		if (rc != 0) {
+			return rc;
+		}
+
 		while (status.done == false) {
 			nvme_qpair_process_completions(&ctrlr->adminq, 0);
 		}
@@ -663,12 +682,16 @@ nvme_ctrlr_configure_aer(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr)
 	struct nvme_async_event_request		*aer;
 	uint32_t				i;
 	struct nvme_completion_poll_status	status;
+	int					rc;
 
 	status.done = false;
 
 	state.raw = 0xFF;
 	state.bits.reserved = 0;
-	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_async_event_config(ctrlr, state, nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+	rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_async_event_config(ctrlr, state, nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		return rc;
+	}
 
 	while (status.done == false) {
 		nvme_qpair_process_completions(&ctrlr->adminq, 0);
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr_cmd.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr_cmd.c
index 174382f131..ff07149020 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr_cmd.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ctrlr_cmd.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ spdk_nvme_ctrlr_cmd_admin_raw(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, void *payload,
 				   spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, void *payload,
 	req = nvme_allocate_request_contig(payload,
 					   sizeof(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr_data),
 					   cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	if (req == NULL) {
+		return ENOMEM;
+	}
 
 	cmd = &req->cmd;
 	cmd->opc = SPDK_NVME_OPC_IDENTIFY;
@@ -97,9 +100,10 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, void *payload,
 	cmd->cdw10 = 1;
 
 	nvme_ctrlr_submit_admin_request(ctrlr, req);
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_namespace(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint16_t nsid,
 				  void *payload, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
@@ -109,6 +113,9 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_namespace(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint16_t nsid,
 	req = nvme_allocate_request_contig(payload,
 					   sizeof(struct spdk_nvme_ns_data),
 					   cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	if (req == NULL) {
+		return ENOMEM;
+	}
 
 	cmd = &req->cmd;
 	cmd->opc = SPDK_NVME_OPC_IDENTIFY;
@@ -119,9 +126,10 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_namespace(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint16_t nsid,
 	cmd->nsid = nsid;
 
 	nvme_ctrlr_submit_admin_request(ctrlr, req);
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 			    struct spdk_nvme_qpair *io_que, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn,
 			    void *cb_arg)
@@ -130,6 +138,9 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 	struct spdk_nvme_cmd *cmd;
 
 	req = nvme_allocate_request_null(cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	if (req == NULL) {
+		return ENOMEM;
+	}
 
 	cmd = &req->cmd;
 	cmd->opc = SPDK_NVME_OPC_CREATE_IO_CQ;
@@ -147,9 +158,10 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 	cmd->dptr.prp.prp1 = io_que->cpl_bus_addr;
 
 	nvme_ctrlr_submit_admin_request(ctrlr, req);
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_sq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 			    struct spdk_nvme_qpair *io_que, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
@@ -157,6 +169,9 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_sq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 	struct spdk_nvme_cmd *cmd;
 
 	req = nvme_allocate_request_null(cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	if (req == NULL) {
+		return ENOMEM;
+	}
 
 	cmd = &req->cmd;
 	cmd->opc = SPDK_NVME_OPC_CREATE_IO_SQ;
@@ -171,6 +186,7 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_sq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 	cmd->dptr.prp.prp1 = io_que->cmd_bus_addr;
 
 	nvme_ctrlr_submit_admin_request(ctrlr, req);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 int
@@ -226,18 +242,18 @@ spdk_nvme_ctrlr_cmd_get_feature(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint8_t feature,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_num_queues(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 			      uint32_t num_queues, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
 	uint32_t cdw11;
 
 	cdw11 = ((num_queues - 1) << 16) | (num_queues - 1);
-	spdk_nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_feature(ctrlr, SPDK_NVME_FEAT_NUMBER_OF_QUEUES, cdw11, 0,
-					NULL, 0, cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	return spdk_nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_feature(ctrlr, SPDK_NVME_FEAT_NUMBER_OF_QUEUES, cdw11, 0,
+					       NULL, 0, cb_fn, cb_arg);
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_async_event_config(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 				      union spdk_nvme_critical_warning_state state, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn,
 				      void *cb_arg)
@@ -245,8 +261,9 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_async_event_config(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 	uint32_t cdw11;
 
 	cdw11 = state.raw;
-	spdk_nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_feature(ctrlr, SPDK_NVME_FEAT_ASYNC_EVENT_CONFIGURATION, cdw11, 0, NULL, 0,
-					cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	return spdk_nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_feature(ctrlr, SPDK_NVME_FEAT_ASYNC_EVENT_CONFIGURATION, cdw11, 0,
+					       NULL, 0,
+					       cb_fn, cb_arg);
 }
 
 int
@@ -276,7 +293,7 @@ spdk_nvme_ctrlr_cmd_get_log_page(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint8_t log_page
 	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_abort(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint16_t cid,
 		     uint16_t sqid, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
@@ -284,10 +301,14 @@ nvme_ctrlr_cmd_abort(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint16_t cid,
 	struct spdk_nvme_cmd *cmd;
 
 	req = nvme_allocate_request_null(cb_fn, cb_arg);
+	if (req == NULL) {
+		return ENOMEM;
+	}
 
 	cmd = &req->cmd;
 	cmd->opc = SPDK_NVME_OPC_ABORT;
 	cmd->cdw10 = (cid << 16) | sqid;
 
 	nvme_ctrlr_submit_admin_request(ctrlr, req);
+	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
index 0791f602ff..f483c32d5b 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_internal.h
@@ -443,25 +443,25 @@ nvme_align32pow2(uint32_t x)
 }
 
 /* Admin functions */
-void	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
+int	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 		void *payload,
 		spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg);
-void	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_namespace(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
+int	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_namespace(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 		uint16_t nsid, void *payload,
 		spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg);
-void	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
+int	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 				    struct spdk_nvme_qpair *io_que,
 				    spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg);
-void	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_sq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
+int	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_sq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 				    struct spdk_nvme_qpair *io_que,
 				    spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg);
-void	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_num_queues(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
+int	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_num_queues(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 				      uint32_t num_queues, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn,
 				      void *cb_arg);
-void	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_async_event_config(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
+int	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_async_event_config(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 		union spdk_nvme_critical_warning_state state,
 		spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg);
-void	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_abort(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint16_t cid,
+int	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_abort(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, uint16_t cid,
 			     uint16_t sqid, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg);
 
 void	nvme_completion_poll_cb(void *arg, const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cpl);
diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_ns.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_ns.c
index 1b6c9005ba..1ad1edb922 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_ns.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_ns.c
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ nvme_ns_construct(struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns, uint16_t id,
 	struct nvme_completion_poll_status	status;
 	struct spdk_nvme_ns_data		*nsdata;
 	uint32_t				pci_devid;
+	int					rc;
 
 	nvme_assert(id > 0, ("invalid namespace id %d", id));
 
@@ -116,8 +117,12 @@ nvme_ns_construct(struct spdk_nvme_ns *ns, uint16_t id,
 	nsdata = _nvme_ns_get_data(ns);
 
 	status.done = false;
-	nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_namespace(ctrlr, id, nsdata,
-					  nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+	rc = nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_namespace(ctrlr, id, nsdata,
+					       nvme_completion_poll_cb, &status);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		return rc;
+	}
+
 	while (status.done == false) {
 		nvme_qpair_process_completions(&ctrlr->adminq, 0);
 	}
diff --git a/test/lib/nvme/unit/nvme_ctrlr_c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c b/test/lib/nvme/unit/nvme_ctrlr_c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
index 56c86e95ad..c8d6759b22 100644
--- a/test/lib/nvme/unit/nvme_ctrlr_c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
+++ b/test/lib/nvme/unit/nvme_ctrlr_c/nvme_ctrlr_ut.c
@@ -132,37 +132,42 @@ nvme_completion_poll_cb(void *arg, const struct spdk_nvme_cpl *cpl)
 {
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_async_event_config(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 				      union spdk_nvme_critical_warning_state state, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn,
 				      void *cb_arg)
 {
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_identify_controller(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr, void *payload,
 				   spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_set_num_queues(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 			      uint32_t num_queues, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_cq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 			    struct spdk_nvme_qpair *io_que, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn,
 			    void *cb_arg)
 {
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void
+int
 nvme_ctrlr_cmd_create_io_sq(struct spdk_nvme_ctrlr *ctrlr,
 			    struct spdk_nvme_qpair *io_que, spdk_nvme_cmd_cb cb_fn,
 			    void *cb_arg)
 {
+	return 0;
 }
 
 void