diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
index 776b7e9e23b9efc5e29bb671e1d444c05f9b1e6e..4a2ab093811e9f92e6905336195e357f842dfade 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
@@ -498,6 +498,7 @@ static void __nvmet_req_complete(struct nvmet_req *req, u16 status)
 {
 	u32 old_sqhd, new_sqhd;
 	u16 sqhd;
+	struct nvmet_ns *ns = req->ns;
 
 	if (status)
 		nvmet_set_status(req, status);
@@ -514,9 +515,9 @@ static void __nvmet_req_complete(struct nvmet_req *req, u16 status)
 	req->rsp->sq_id = cpu_to_le16(req->sq->qid);
 	req->rsp->command_id = req->cmd->common.command_id;
 
-	if (req->ns)
-		nvmet_put_namespace(req->ns);
 	req->ops->queue_response(req);
+	if (ns)
+		nvmet_put_namespace(ns);
 }
 
 void nvmet_req_complete(struct nvmet_req *req, u16 status)