diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c b/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
index a56b9fc35719..35f411fad8f9 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
@@ -395,9 +395,10 @@ void nvmet_execute_auth_send(struct nvmet_req *req)
 		goto complete;
 	}
 	/* Final states, clear up variables */
-	nvmet_auth_sq_free(req->sq);
-	if (req->sq->dhchap_step == NVME_AUTH_DHCHAP_MESSAGE_FAILURE2)
+	if (req->sq->dhchap_step == NVME_AUTH_DHCHAP_MESSAGE_FAILURE2) {
+		nvmet_auth_sq_free(req->sq);
 		nvmet_ctrl_fatal_error(ctrl);
+	}
 
 complete:
 	nvmet_req_complete(req, status);
@@ -573,9 +574,7 @@ void nvmet_execute_auth_receive(struct nvmet_req *req)
 	status = nvmet_copy_to_sgl(req, 0, d, al);
 	kfree(d);
 done:
-	if (req->sq->dhchap_step == NVME_AUTH_DHCHAP_MESSAGE_SUCCESS2)
-		nvmet_auth_sq_free(req->sq);
-	else if (req->sq->dhchap_step == NVME_AUTH_DHCHAP_MESSAGE_FAILURE1) {
+	if (req->sq->dhchap_step == NVME_AUTH_DHCHAP_MESSAGE_FAILURE1) {
 		nvmet_auth_sq_free(req->sq);
 		nvmet_ctrl_fatal_error(ctrl);
 	}