diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
index 74b3b150e1a57f9cc836275316b1b22e2a38c201..cb30cb942e1d187802960f0d0262bbb232a7a18c 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
@@ -590,8 +590,10 @@ static struct nvme_ctrl *nvme_loop_create_ctrl(struct device *dev,
 
 	ret = nvme_init_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl, dev, &nvme_loop_ctrl_ops,
 				0 /* no quirks, we're perfect! */);
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		kfree(ctrl);
 		goto out;
+	}
 
 	if (!nvme_change_ctrl_state(&ctrl->ctrl, NVME_CTRL_CONNECTING))
 		WARN_ON_ONCE(1);