diff --git a/block/blk-mq.c b/block/blk-mq.c
index b9f454613989..73ed8ccb09ce 100644
--- a/block/blk-mq.c
+++ b/block/blk-mq.c
@@ -4617,9 +4617,6 @@ static bool blk_mq_elv_switch_none(struct list_head *head,
 {
 	struct blk_mq_qe_pair *qe;
 
-	if (!q->elevator)
-		return true;
-
 	qe = kmalloc(sizeof(*qe), GFP_NOIO | __GFP_NOWARN | __GFP_NORETRY);
 	if (!qe)
 		return false;
@@ -4627,6 +4624,12 @@ static bool blk_mq_elv_switch_none(struct list_head *head,
 	/* q->elevator needs protection from ->sysfs_lock */
 	mutex_lock(&q->sysfs_lock);
 
+	/* the check has to be done with holding sysfs_lock */
+	if (!q->elevator) {
+		kfree(qe);
+		goto unlock;
+	}
+
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&qe->node);
 	qe->q = q;
 	qe->type = q->elevator->type;
@@ -4634,6 +4637,7 @@ static bool blk_mq_elv_switch_none(struct list_head *head,
 	__elevator_get(qe->type);
 	list_add(&qe->node, head);
 	elevator_disable(q);
+unlock:
 	mutex_unlock(&q->sysfs_lock);
 
 	return true;