diff --git a/prov/efa/src/rxr/rxr_pkt_cmd.c b/prov/efa/src/rxr/rxr_pkt_cmd.c
index 440b978e5bd..2f7a6d2c161 100644
--- a/prov/efa/src/rxr/rxr_pkt_cmd.c
+++ b/prov/efa/src/rxr/rxr_pkt_cmd.c
@@ -588,6 +588,15 @@ void rxr_pkt_handle_recv_completion(struct rxr_ep *ep,
 	assert(pkt_entry->pkt_size > 0);
 
 	base_hdr = rxr_get_base_hdr(pkt_entry->pkt);
+	if (base_hdr->type >= RXR_EXTRA_REQ_PKT_END) {
+		FI_WARN(&rxr_prov, FI_LOG_CQ,
+			"Peer %d is requesting feature %d, which this EP does not support.\n",
+			(int)src_addr, base_hdr->type);
+
+		assert(0 && "invalid REQ packe type");
+		rxr_cq_handle_cq_error(ep, -FI_EIO);
+		return;
+	}
 
 	if (base_hdr->type >= RXR_REQ_PKT_BEGIN) {
 		/*
@@ -627,17 +636,6 @@ void rxr_pkt_handle_recv_completion(struct rxr_ep *ep,
 		ep->posted_bufs_efa--;
 	}
 
-	if (base_hdr->type >= RXR_EXTRA_REQ_PKT_END) {
-		FI_WARN(&rxr_prov, FI_LOG_CQ,
-			"Peer %d is requesting feature %d, which this EP does not support.\n"
-			"A handshake packet contains capability bits has been sent to peer.\n"
-			"This packet will be ignored.\n",
-			(int)src_addr, base_hdr->type);
-
-		rxr_pkt_entry_release_rx(ep, pkt_entry);
-		return;
-	}
-
 	switch (base_hdr->type) {
 	case RXR_RETIRED_RTS_PKT:
 		FI_WARN(&rxr_prov, FI_LOG_CQ,