diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
index d8a36c13aedaf8606a4931287bb2879aee23dcae..7e875f5752299bdb6af02e542ba90362a399a5c7 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
@@ -292,6 +292,14 @@ qla2x00_mailbox_command(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, mbx_cmd_t *mcp)
 			if (time_after(jiffies, wait_time))
 				break;
 
+			/*
+			 * Check if it's UNLOADING, cause we cannot poll in
+			 * this case, or else a NULL pointer dereference
+			 * is triggered.
+			 */
+			if (unlikely(test_bit(UNLOADING, &base_vha->dpc_flags)))
+				return QLA_FUNCTION_TIMEOUT;
+
 			/* Check for pending interrupts. */
 			qla2x00_poll(ha->rsp_q_map[0]);