diff --git a/hw/block/nvme.c b/hw/block/nvme.c
index bfc23037c3..a5f6dc4b8e 100644
--- a/hw/block/nvme.c
+++ b/hw/block/nvme.c
@@ -1310,6 +1310,14 @@ static uint16_t nvme_set_feature(NvmeCtrl *n, NvmeCmd *cmd, NvmeRequest *req)
         blk_set_enable_write_cache(n->conf.blk, dw11 & 1);
         break;
     case NVME_NUMBER_OF_QUEUES:
+        /*
+         * NVMe v1.3, Section 5.21.1.7: 0xffff is not an allowed value for NCQR
+         * and NSQR.
+         */
+        if ((dw11 & 0xffff) == 0xffff || ((dw11 >> 16) & 0xffff) == 0xffff) {
+            return NVME_INVALID_FIELD | NVME_DNR;
+        }
+
         trace_pci_nvme_setfeat_numq((dw11 & 0xFFFF) + 1,
                                     ((dw11 >> 16) & 0xFFFF) + 1,
                                     n->params.max_ioqpairs,