diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
index 191e5811d25e..1f7a2de95419 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
@@ -1461,9 +1461,11 @@ static void nvme_tcp_io_work(struct work_struct *w)
 
 	do {
 		bool pending = false;
+		bool got_send_mutex = false;
 		int result;
 
 		if (mutex_trylock(&queue->send_mutex)) {
+			got_send_mutex = true;
 			result = nvme_tcp_try_send(queue);
 			mutex_unlock(&queue->send_mutex);
 			if (result > 0)
@@ -1478,8 +1480,13 @@ static void nvme_tcp_io_work(struct work_struct *w)
 		else if (unlikely(result < 0))
 			return;
 
-		/* did we get some space after spending time in recv? */
-		if (nvme_tcp_queue_has_pending(queue) &&
+		/*
+		 * did we get some space after spending time in recv?
+		 * Only check this if we could take send_mutex. Otherwise
+		 * the task holding it sends the requests and queues io_work
+		 * again after it releases the mutex.
+		 */
+		if (got_send_mutex && nvme_tcp_queue_has_pending(queue) &&
 		    sk_stream_is_writeable(queue->sock->sk))
 			pending = true;