diff --git a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
index 342126e0c0a..cebe7a6bc8a 100644
--- a/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
+++ b/lib/nvmf/ctrlr.c
@@ -811,6 +811,7 @@ retry_connect(void *arg)
 	int rc;
 
 	sgroup = nvmf_subsystem_pg_from_connect_cmd(req);
+	assert(sgroup != NULL);
 	sgroup->mgmt_io_outstanding++;
 	spdk_poller_unregister(&req->poller);
 	rc = nvmf_ctrlr_cmd_connect(req);
@@ -861,6 +862,7 @@ nvmf_ctrlr_cmd_connect(struct spdk_nvmf_request *req)
 		 * subsystem waiting for this command to complete before unpausing.
 		 */
 		sgroup = nvmf_subsystem_pg_from_connect_cmd(req);
+		assert(sgroup != NULL);
 		sgroup->mgmt_io_outstanding--;
 		SPDK_DEBUGLOG(nvmf, "Subsystem '%s' is not ready for connect, retrying...\n", subsystem->subnqn);
 		req->poller = SPDK_POLLER_REGISTER(retry_connect, req, 100);