diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/auth.c b/drivers/nvme/target/auth.c
index c4113b43dbfeebabec926333d485954191e993c6..4dcddcf95279b3b56c7c04a542c29d0463287682 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/auth.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/auth.c
@@ -45,9 +45,11 @@ int nvmet_auth_set_key(struct nvmet_host *host, const char *secret,
 	if (!dhchap_secret)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	if (set_ctrl) {
+		kfree(host->dhchap_ctrl_secret);
 		host->dhchap_ctrl_secret = strim(dhchap_secret);
 		host->dhchap_ctrl_key_hash = key_hash;
 	} else {
+		kfree(host->dhchap_secret);
 		host->dhchap_secret = strim(dhchap_secret);
 		host->dhchap_key_hash = key_hash;
 	}