diff --git a/sbin/nvmecontrol/fabrics.c b/sbin/nvmecontrol/fabrics.c
--- a/sbin/nvmecontrol/fabrics.c
+++ b/sbin/nvmecontrol/fabrics.c
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@
 
 static bool
 tcp_qpair_params(struct nvmf_qpair_params *params, int adrfam,
-    const char *address, const char *port)
+    const char *address, const char *port, struct addrinfo **aip,
+    struct addrinfo **listp)
 {
 	struct addrinfo hints, *ai, *list;
 	int error, s;
@@ -173,7 +174,11 @@
 		}
 
 		params->tcp.fd = s;
-		freeaddrinfo(list);
+		if (listp != NULL) {
+			*aip = ai;
+			*listp = list;
+		} else
+			freeaddrinfo(list);
 		return (true);
 	}
 	warn("Failed to connect to controller at %s:%s", address, port);
@@ -181,6 +186,24 @@
 	return (false);
 }
 
+static bool
+tcp_qpair_params_ai(struct nvmf_qpair_params *params, struct addrinfo *ai)
+{
+	int s;
+
+	s = socket(ai->ai_family, ai->ai_socktype, ai->ai_protocol);
+	if (s == -1)
+		return (false);
+
+	if (connect(s, ai->ai_addr, ai->ai_addrlen) != 0) {
+		close(s);
+		return (false);
+	}
+
+	params->tcp.fd = s;
+	return (true);
+}
+
 static void
 tcp_discovery_association_params(struct nvmf_association_params *params)
 {
@@ -228,7 +251,7 @@
 		err(EX_IOERR, "Failed to create discovery association");
 	memset(&qparams, 0, sizeof(qparams));
 	qparams.admin = true;
-	if (!tcp_qpair_params(&qparams, AF_UNSPEC, address, port))
+	if (!tcp_qpair_params(&qparams, AF_UNSPEC, address, port, NULL, NULL))
 		exit(EX_NOHOST);
 	qp = nvmf_connect(na, &qparams, 0, NVME_MIN_ADMIN_ENTRIES, hostid,
 	    NVMF_CNTLID_DYNAMIC, NVMF_DISCOVERY_NQN, hostnqn, 0);
@@ -417,6 +440,7 @@
 {
 	struct nvmf_qpair_params qparams;
 	struct nvmf_association *na;
+	struct addrinfo *ai, *list;
 	u_int queues;
 	int error;
 	uint16_t mqes;
@@ -446,7 +470,7 @@
 	/* Admin queue. */
 	memset(&qparams, 0, sizeof(qparams));
 	qparams.admin = true;
-	if (!tcp_qpair_params(&qparams, adrfam, address, port)) {
+	if (!tcp_qpair_params(&qparams, adrfam, address, port, &ai, &list)) {
 		nvmf_free_association(na);
 		return (EX_NOHOST);
 	}
@@ -454,6 +478,7 @@
 	    kato, &mqes);
 	if (error != 0) {
 		nvmf_free_association(na);
+		freeaddrinfo(list);
 		return (error);
 	}
 
@@ -463,6 +488,7 @@
 	else if (queue_size > (u_int)mqes + 1) {
 		shutdown_controller(*admin);
 		nvmf_free_association(na);
+		freeaddrinfo(list);
 		warnx("I/O queue size exceeds controller maximum (%u)",
 		    mqes + 1);
 		return (EX_USAGE);
@@ -473,6 +499,7 @@
 	if (error != 0) {
 		shutdown_controller(*admin);
 		nvmf_free_association(na);
+		freeaddrinfo(list);
 		warnc(error, "Failed to fetch controller data for %s", subnqn);
 		return (EX_IOERR);
 	}
@@ -483,12 +510,14 @@
 	if (error != 0) {
 		shutdown_controller(*admin);
 		nvmf_free_association(na);
+		freeaddrinfo(list);
 		warnc(error, "Failed to request I/O queues");
 		return (EX_IOERR);
 	}
 	if (queues < num_io_queues) {
 		shutdown_controller(*admin);
 		nvmf_free_association(na);
+		freeaddrinfo(list);
 		warnx("Controller enabled fewer I/O queues (%u) than requested (%u)",
 		    queues, num_io_queues);
 		return (EX_PROTOCOL);
@@ -499,7 +528,9 @@
 	for (u_int i = 0; i < num_io_queues; i++) {
 		memset(&qparams, 0, sizeof(qparams));
 		qparams.admin = false;
-		if (!tcp_qpair_params(&qparams, adrfam, address, port)) {
+		if (!tcp_qpair_params_ai(&qparams, ai)) {
+			warn("Failed to connect to controller at %s:%s",
+			    address, port);
 			error = EX_NOHOST;
 			goto out;
 		}
@@ -513,11 +544,13 @@
 		}
 	}
 	nvmf_free_association(na);
+	freeaddrinfo(list);
 	return (0);
 
 out:
 	disconnect_nvm_queues(*admin, io, num_io_queues);
 	nvmf_free_association(na);
+	freeaddrinfo(list);
 	return (error);
 }