diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
index c8bcfe64e976..2bcd49584f71 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
@@ -2069,6 +2069,22 @@ static const struct attribute_group *nvme_subsys_attrs_groups[] = {
 	NULL,
 };
 
+static int nvme_active_ctrls(struct nvme_subsystem *subsys)
+{
+	int count = 0;
+	struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl;
+
+	mutex_lock(&subsys->lock);
+	list_for_each_entry(ctrl, &subsys->ctrls, subsys_entry) {
+		if (ctrl->state != NVME_CTRL_DELETING &&
+		    ctrl->state != NVME_CTRL_DEAD)
+			count++;
+	}
+	mutex_unlock(&subsys->lock);
+
+	return count;
+}
+
 static int nvme_init_subsystem(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvme_id_ctrl *id)
 {
 	struct nvme_subsystem *subsys, *found;
@@ -2107,7 +2123,7 @@ static int nvme_init_subsystem(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvme_id_ctrl *id)
 		 * Verify that the subsystem actually supports multiple
 		 * controllers, else bail out.
 		 */
-		if (!(id->cmic & (1 << 1))) {
+		if (nvme_active_ctrls(found) && !(id->cmic & (1 << 1))) {
 			dev_err(ctrl->device,
 				"ignoring ctrl due to duplicate subnqn (%s).\n",
 				found->subnqn);