diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
index 43871a8f56ca..8c8c8627871f 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
@@ -1648,6 +1648,8 @@ struct nvmet_ctrl *nvmet_alloc_ctrl(struct nvmet_alloc_ctrl_args *args)
 	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&ctrl->ka_work, nvmet_keep_alive_timer);
 
 	memcpy(ctrl->hostnqn, args->hostnqn, NVMF_NQN_SIZE);
+	if (args->hostid)
+		uuid_copy(&ctrl->hostid, args->hostid);
 
 	kref_init(&ctrl->ref);
 	ctrl->subsys = subsys;
@@ -1706,9 +1708,6 @@ struct nvmet_ctrl *nvmet_alloc_ctrl(struct nvmet_alloc_ctrl_args *args)
 
 	nvmet_start_keep_alive_timer(ctrl);
 
-	if (args->hostid)
-		uuid_copy(&ctrl->hostid, args->hostid);
-
 	dhchap_status = nvmet_setup_auth(ctrl, args->sq, false);
 	if (dhchap_status) {
 		pr_err("Failed to setup authentication, dhchap status %u\n",