diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/admin-cmd.c b/drivers/nvme/target/admin-cmd.c
index c0d38480bb62..3794ef258556 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/admin-cmd.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/admin-cmd.c
@@ -1605,7 +1605,7 @@ void nvmet_execute_keep_alive(struct nvmet_req *req)
 
 	pr_debug("ctrl %d update keep-alive timer for %d secs\n",
 		ctrl->cntlid, ctrl->kato);
-	mod_delayed_work(system_wq, &ctrl->ka_work, ctrl->kato * HZ);
+	mod_delayed_work(system_percpu_wq, &ctrl->ka_work, ctrl->kato * HZ);
 out:
 	nvmet_req_complete(req, status);
 }
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c b/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
index 35f411fad8f9..b9ab80c7a694 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ void nvmet_execute_auth_send(struct nvmet_req *req)
 	    req->sq->dhchap_step != NVME_AUTH_DHCHAP_MESSAGE_FAILURE2) {
 		unsigned long auth_expire_secs = ctrl->kato ? ctrl->kato : 120;
 
-		mod_delayed_work(system_wq, &req->sq->auth_expired_work,
+		mod_delayed_work(system_percpu_wq, &req->sq->auth_expired_work,
 				 auth_expire_secs * HZ);
 		goto complete;
 	}