diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
index f4b02bb4a1a891c578bb8cae3ad7a8db7ef5cc1d..ea7eb00dcb87c0517e3700c76e11b08451edf43d 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
@@ -749,6 +749,7 @@ u16 nvmet_alloc_ctrl(const char *subsysnqn, const char *hostnqn,
 			hostnqn, subsysnqn);
 		req->rsp->result.u32 = IPO_IATTR_CONNECT_DATA(hostnqn);
 		up_read(&nvmet_config_sem);
+		status = NVME_SC_CONNECT_INVALID_HOST | NVME_SC_DNR;
 		goto out_put_subsystem;
 	}
 	up_read(&nvmet_config_sem);