diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/fc.c b/drivers/nvme/target/fc.c
index 1e9654f04c608d194bb464b854180ed1b0c06ef9..6b7bbf39fa067d369e9f8acd8db2dbb5be488b2e 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/fc.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/fc.c
@@ -1143,10 +1143,8 @@ __nvmet_fc_free_assocs(struct nvmet_fc_tgtport *tgtport)
 				&tgtport->assoc_list, a_list) {
 		if (!nvmet_fc_tgt_a_get(assoc))
 			continue;
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&tgtport->lock, flags);
-		nvmet_fc_delete_target_assoc(assoc);
-		nvmet_fc_tgt_a_put(assoc);
-		spin_lock_irqsave(&tgtport->lock, flags);
+		if (!schedule_work(&assoc->del_work))
+			nvmet_fc_tgt_a_put(assoc);
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&tgtport->lock, flags);
 }
@@ -1185,7 +1183,8 @@ nvmet_fc_delete_ctrl(struct nvmet_ctrl *ctrl)
 		nvmet_fc_tgtport_put(tgtport);
 
 		if (found_ctrl) {
-			schedule_work(&assoc->del_work);
+			if (!schedule_work(&assoc->del_work))
+				nvmet_fc_tgt_a_put(assoc);
 			return;
 		}