diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/fc.c b/drivers/nvme/target/fc.c
index 9b39a6cb1935ae21c35b087c83407a5dd0542ef1..9f80f98d81d2c8cde41f8551b1819c73d5c33229 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/fc.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/fc.c
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ struct nvmet_fc_fcp_iod {
 	struct nvmet_req		req;
 	struct work_struct		work;
 	struct work_struct		done_work;
+	struct work_struct		defer_work;
 
 	struct nvmet_fc_tgtport		*tgtport;
 	struct nvmet_fc_tgt_queue	*queue;
@@ -224,6 +225,7 @@ static DEFINE_IDA(nvmet_fc_tgtport_cnt);
 static void nvmet_fc_handle_ls_rqst_work(struct work_struct *work);
 static void nvmet_fc_handle_fcp_rqst_work(struct work_struct *work);
 static void nvmet_fc_fcp_rqst_op_done_work(struct work_struct *work);
+static void nvmet_fc_fcp_rqst_op_defer_work(struct work_struct *work);
 static void nvmet_fc_tgt_a_put(struct nvmet_fc_tgt_assoc *assoc);
 static int nvmet_fc_tgt_a_get(struct nvmet_fc_tgt_assoc *assoc);
 static void nvmet_fc_tgt_q_put(struct nvmet_fc_tgt_queue *queue);
@@ -429,6 +431,7 @@ nvmet_fc_prep_fcp_iodlist(struct nvmet_fc_tgtport *tgtport,
 	for (i = 0; i < queue->sqsize; fod++, i++) {
 		INIT_WORK(&fod->work, nvmet_fc_handle_fcp_rqst_work);
 		INIT_WORK(&fod->done_work, nvmet_fc_fcp_rqst_op_done_work);
+		INIT_WORK(&fod->defer_work, nvmet_fc_fcp_rqst_op_defer_work);
 		fod->tgtport = tgtport;
 		fod->queue = queue;
 		fod->active = false;
@@ -511,6 +514,17 @@ nvmet_fc_queue_fcp_req(struct nvmet_fc_tgtport *tgtport,
 		nvmet_fc_handle_fcp_rqst(tgtport, fod);
 }
 
+static void
+nvmet_fc_fcp_rqst_op_defer_work(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct nvmet_fc_fcp_iod *fod =
+		container_of(work, struct nvmet_fc_fcp_iod, defer_work);
+
+	/* Submit deferred IO for processing */
+	nvmet_fc_queue_fcp_req(fod->tgtport, fod->queue, fod->fcpreq);
+
+}
+
 static void
 nvmet_fc_free_fcp_iod(struct nvmet_fc_tgt_queue *queue,
 			struct nvmet_fc_fcp_iod *fod)
@@ -568,13 +582,12 @@ nvmet_fc_free_fcp_iod(struct nvmet_fc_tgt_queue *queue,
 	/* inform LLDD IO is now being processed */
 	tgtport->ops->defer_rcv(&tgtport->fc_target_port, fcpreq);
 
-	/* Submit deferred IO for processing */
-	nvmet_fc_queue_fcp_req(tgtport, queue, fcpreq);
-
 	/*
 	 * Leave the queue lookup get reference taken when
 	 * fod was originally allocated.
 	 */
+
+	queue_work(queue->work_q, &fod->defer_work);
 }
 
 static int