diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/auth.c b/drivers/nvme/target/auth.c
index 1680e5e6839c..574025730834 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/auth.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/auth.c
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ void nvmet_auth_sq_free(struct nvmet_sq *sq)
 	sq->dhchap_c2 = NULL;
 	kfree(sq->dhchap_skey);
 	sq->dhchap_skey = NULL;
+	sq->dhchap_skey_len = 0;
 }
 
 void nvmet_auth_sq_destroy(struct nvmet_sq *sq)
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c b/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
index bc49b48cdd63..3d9840d37a8b 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/fabrics-cmd-auth.c
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ void nvmet_execute_auth_send(struct nvmet_req *req)
 			/* Restart negotiation */
 			pr_debug("%s: ctrl %d qid %d reset negotiation\n",
 				 __func__, ctrl->cntlid, req->sq->qid);
+			nvmet_auth_sq_free(req->sq);
 			if (!req->sq->qid) {
 				dhchap_status = nvmet_setup_auth(ctrl, req->sq,
 								 true);