diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
index 0b47c8fd85114d7aec87d5a8d3ea88631bc70be5..dcaab0304c9ebfdc49243e60a360d9efd34cf988 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
@@ -3838,7 +3838,7 @@ static void nvme_free_ctrl(struct device *dev)
 		container_of(dev, struct nvme_ctrl, ctrl_device);
 	struct nvme_subsystem *subsys = ctrl->subsys;
 
-	if (subsys && ctrl->instance != subsys->instance)
+	if (!subsys || ctrl->instance != subsys->instance)
 		ida_simple_remove(&nvme_instance_ida, ctrl->instance);
 
 	kfree(ctrl->effects);