diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd.c b/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd.c
index 76c5f40d0bb2..4e9004fe5c6f 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd.c
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ static u16 nvmet_install_queue(struct nvmet_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvmet_req *req)
 	u16 qid = le16_to_cpu(c->qid);
 	u16 sqsize = le16_to_cpu(c->sqsize);
 	struct nvmet_ctrl *old;
+	u16 ret;
 
 	old = cmpxchg(&req->sq->ctrl, NULL, ctrl);
 	if (old) {
@@ -115,7 +116,8 @@ static u16 nvmet_install_queue(struct nvmet_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvmet_req *req)
 	if (!sqsize) {
 		pr_warn("queue size zero!\n");
 		req->error_loc = offsetof(struct nvmf_connect_command, sqsize);
-		return NVME_SC_CONNECT_INVALID_PARAM | NVME_SC_DNR;
+		ret = NVME_SC_CONNECT_INVALID_PARAM | NVME_SC_DNR;
+		goto err;
 	}
 
 	/* note: convert queue size from 0's-based value to 1's-based value */
@@ -128,16 +130,19 @@ static u16 nvmet_install_queue(struct nvmet_ctrl *ctrl, struct nvmet_req *req)
 	}
 
 	if (ctrl->ops->install_queue) {
-		u16 ret = ctrl->ops->install_queue(req->sq);
-
+		ret = ctrl->ops->install_queue(req->sq);
 		if (ret) {
 			pr_err("failed to install queue %d cntlid %d ret %x\n",
 				qid, ctrl->cntlid, ret);
-			return ret;
+			goto err;
 		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
+
+err:
+	req->sq->ctrl = NULL;
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static void nvmet_execute_admin_connect(struct nvmet_req *req)