diff --git a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_private.h b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_private.h
index d06862ba5f4..3dc62bc1138 100644
--- a/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_private.h
+++ b/sys/dev/nvme/nvme_private.h
@@ -502,11 +502,13 @@ _nvme_allocate_request(const int how, nvme_cb_fn_t cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 }
 
 static __inline struct nvme_request *
-nvme_allocate_request_vaddr(void *payload, uint32_t payload_size,
+nvme_allocate_request_vaddr(void *payload, size_t payload_size,
     const int how, nvme_cb_fn_t cb_fn, void *cb_arg)
 {
 	struct nvme_request *req;
 
+	KASSERT(payload_size <= UINT32_MAX,
+	    ("payload size %zu exceeds maximum", payload_size));
 	req = _nvme_allocate_request(how, cb_fn, cb_arg);
 	if (req != NULL) {
 		req->payload = memdesc_vaddr(payload, payload_size);