diff --git a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_qpair.c b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
--- a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
+++ b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_qpair.c
@@ -1078,12 +1078,10 @@
 
 		if (qpair->ctrlr->is_failed) {
 			/*
-			 * The controller has failed.  Post the request to a
-			 *  task where it will be aborted, so that we do not
-			 *  invoke the request's callback in the context
-			 *  of the submission.
+			 * The controller has failed, so fail the request.
 			 */
-			nvme_ctrlr_post_failed_request(qpair->ctrlr, req);
+			nvme_qpair_manual_complete_request(qpair, req,
+			    NVME_SCT_GENERIC, NVME_SC_ABORTED_BY_REQUEST);
 		} else {
 			/*
 			 * Put the request on the qpair's request queue to be
diff --git a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_sim.c b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_sim.c
--- a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_sim.c
+++ b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_sim.c
@@ -258,6 +258,10 @@
 		break;
 	case XPT_NVME_IO:		/* Execute the requested I/O operation */
 	case XPT_NVME_ADMIN:		/* or Admin operation */
+		if (ctrlr->is_failed) {
+			ccb->ccb_h.status = CAM_DEV_NOT_THERE;
+			break;
+		}
 		nvme_sim_nvmeio(sim, ccb);
 		return;			/* no done */
 	default: