diff --git a/src/uct/ib/base/ib_md.h b/src/uct/ib/base/ib_md.h
index c98f3aff443..7734eb7a810 100644
--- a/src/uct/ib/base/ib_md.h
+++ b/src/uct/ib/base/ib_md.h
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ enum {
 #endif
     UCT_IB_MEM_FLAG_GVA              = UCS_BIT(5), /**< The memory handle is a
                                                         GVA region */
+    UCT_IB_MEM_DIRECT_NIC            = UCS_BIT(6), /**< The memory handle was
+                                                        registered using Direct NIC */
 };
 
 enum {
diff --git a/src/uct/ib/mlx5/dv/ib_mlx5dv_md.c b/src/uct/ib/mlx5/dv/ib_mlx5dv_md.c
index 08a7a9e28f5..7925c4b6308 100644
--- a/src/uct/ib/mlx5/dv/ib_mlx5dv_md.c
+++ b/src/uct/ib/mlx5/dv/ib_mlx5dv_md.c
@@ -856,6 +856,7 @@ uct_ib_mlx5_devx_reg_mr(uct_ib_mlx5_md_t *md, uct_ib_mlx5_devx_mem_t *memh,
                                                                 length, params,
                                                                 access_flags);
     if (memh->mrs[mr_type].super.ib != NULL) {
+        memh->super.flags |= UCT_IB_MEM_DIRECT_NIC;
         goto out;
     }
 
@@ -2946,6 +2947,7 @@ uct_ib_mlx5_devx_mkey_pack(uct_md_h uct_md, uct_mem_h uct_memh,
         ((memh->super.flags & UCT_IB_MEM_ACCESS_REMOTE_ATOMIC) ||
          uct_ib_mlx5_devx_memh_has_ro(md, memh)) &&
         !(memh->super.flags & UCT_IB_MEM_IMPORTED) &&
+        !(memh->super.flags & UCT_IB_MEM_DIRECT_NIC) &&
         md->super.config.enable_indirect_atomic &&
         ucs_test_all_flags(md->flags,
                            UCT_IB_MLX5_MD_FLAG_KSM |