diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
index c535836e7065..5b23e1d52cb3 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
@@ -568,6 +568,13 @@ static int nvme_tcp_setup_h2c_data_pdu(struct nvme_tcp_request *req,
 	req->pdu_len = le32_to_cpu(pdu->r2t_length);
 	req->pdu_sent = 0;
 
+	if (unlikely(!req->pdu_len)) {
+		dev_err(queue->ctrl->ctrl.device,
+			"req %d r2t len is %u, probably a bug...\n",
+			rq->tag, req->pdu_len);
+		return -EPROTO;
+	}
+
 	if (unlikely(req->data_sent + req->pdu_len > req->data_len)) {
 		dev_err(queue->ctrl->ctrl.device,
 			"req %d r2t len %u exceeded data len %u (%zu sent)\n",