diff --git a/src/nvme/mi.c b/src/nvme/mi.c
index 93c85317c..855b6d81c 100644
--- a/src/nvme/mi.c
+++ b/src/nvme/mi.c
@@ -1742,19 +1742,6 @@ int nvme_mi_mi_xfer(nvme_mi_ep_t ep,
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	/* request and response lengths & offset must be aligned */
-	if ((req_data_size & 0x3) ||
-	    (*resp_data_size & 0x3)) {
-		errno = EINVAL;
-		return -1;
-	}
-
-	/* bidirectional not permitted */
-	if (req_data_size && *resp_data_size) {
-		errno = EINVAL;
-		return -1;
-	}
-
 	mi_req->hdr.type = NVME_MI_MSGTYPE_NVME;
 	mi_req->hdr.nmp = (NVME_MI_ROR_REQ << 7) |
 			  (NVME_MI_MT_MI << 3) |
diff --git a/test/mi.c b/test/mi.c
index acf01cb77..f92b3b131 100644
--- a/test/mi.c
+++ b/test/mi.c
@@ -649,26 +649,10 @@ static void test_mi_invalid_formats(nvme_mi_ep_t ep)
 	ctrl = nvme_mi_init_ctrl(ep, 1);
 	assert(ctrl);
 
-	/* unaligned req size */
-	len = 0;
-
-	rc = nvme_mi_mi_xfer(ep, &req.hdr, 1, &resp, &len);
-	assert(rc != 0);
-
-	/* unaligned resp size */
-	len = 1;
-	rc = nvme_mi_mi_xfer(ep, &req.hdr, 0, &resp, &len);
-	assert(rc != 0);
-
 	/* resp too large */
 	len = 4096 + 4;
 	rc = nvme_mi_mi_xfer(ep, &req.hdr, 0, &resp, &len);
 	assert(rc != 0);
-
-	/* req and resp payloads */
-	len = 4;
-	rc = nvme_mi_mi_xfer(ep, &req.hdr, 4, &resp, &len);
-	assert(rc != 0);
 }
 
 /* test: header length too small */