diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_nvme.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_nvme.c
index 8dc6df6c2e1c..fc8a344ec7d8 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_nvme.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_nvme.c
@@ -466,7 +466,8 @@ static void qla_nvme_ls_abort(struct nvme_fc_local_port *lport,
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&priv->cmd_lock, flags);
 
-	schedule_work(&priv->abort_work);
+	if (!schedule_work(&priv->abort_work))
+		kref_put(&priv->sp->cmd_kref, priv->sp->put_fn);
 }
 
 static int qla_nvme_ls_req(struct nvme_fc_local_port *lport,
@@ -548,7 +549,8 @@ static void qla_nvme_fcp_abort(struct nvme_fc_local_port *lport,
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&priv->cmd_lock, flags);
 
-	schedule_work(&priv->abort_work);
+	if (!schedule_work(&priv->abort_work))
+		kref_put(&priv->sp->cmd_kref, priv->sp->put_fn);
 }
 
 static inline int qla2x00_start_nvme_mq(srb_t *sp)