diff --git a/hw/nvme/subsys.c b/hw/nvme/subsys.c
index 495dcff5eb..fb58d63950 100644
--- a/hw/nvme/subsys.c
+++ b/hw/nvme/subsys.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 int nvme_subsys_register_ctrl(NvmeCtrl *n, Error **errp)
 {
     NvmeSubsystem *subsys = n->subsys;
-    int cntlid;
+    int cntlid, nsid;
 
     for (cntlid = 0; cntlid < ARRAY_SIZE(subsys->ctrls); cntlid++) {
         if (!subsys->ctrls[cntlid]) {
@@ -29,12 +29,20 @@ int nvme_subsys_register_ctrl(NvmeCtrl *n, Error **errp)
 
     subsys->ctrls[cntlid] = n;
 
+    for (nsid = 1; nsid < ARRAY_SIZE(subsys->namespaces); nsid++) {
+        NvmeNamespace *ns = subsys->namespaces[nsid];
+        if (ns && ns->params.shared && !ns->params.detached) {
+            nvme_attach_ns(n, ns);
+        }
+    }
+
     return cntlid;
 }
 
 void nvme_subsys_unregister_ctrl(NvmeSubsystem *subsys, NvmeCtrl *n)
 {
     subsys->ctrls[n->cntlid] = NULL;
+    n->cntlid = -1;
 }
 
 static void nvme_subsys_setup(NvmeSubsystem *subsys)