diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
index 4a2ab093811e9f92e6905336195e357f842dfade..1d5f266aee4983300bbdfc889b425a211f11784e 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
@@ -522,8 +522,10 @@ static void __nvmet_req_complete(struct nvmet_req *req, u16 status)
 
 void nvmet_req_complete(struct nvmet_req *req, u16 status)
 {
+	struct nvmet_sq *sq = req->sq;
+
 	__nvmet_req_complete(req, status);
-	percpu_ref_put(&req->sq->ref);
+	percpu_ref_put(&sq->ref);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvmet_req_complete);