diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-scsi.c b/drivers/ata/libata-scsi.c
index f9ca5410e223..f03b6326ad2d 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-scsi.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-scsi.c
@@ -1789,11 +1789,11 @@ static int ata_scsi_qc_issue(struct ata_port *ap, struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 		goto defer_qc;
 	case ATA_DEFER_PORT:
 		ret = SCSI_MLQUEUE_HOST_BUSY;
-		goto defer_qc;
+		goto free_qc;
 	default:
 		WARN_ON_ONCE(1);
 		ret = SCSI_MLQUEUE_HOST_BUSY;
-		goto defer_qc;
+		goto free_qc;
 	}
 
 issue_qc:
@@ -1813,6 +1813,7 @@ static int ata_scsi_qc_issue(struct ata_port *ap, struct ata_queued_cmd *qc)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+free_qc:
 	/* Force a requeue of the command to defer its execution. */
 	ata_qc_free(qc);