diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c b/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
index 0a8af4daef8903f8ba983d345f1044498c57a975..794e66e4aa20115f4dc3a6b5fc12f706b2040bf4 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
@@ -3221,7 +3221,6 @@ nvme_fc_init_ctrl(struct device *dev, struct nvmf_ctrl_options *opts,
 
 		/* initiate nvme ctrl ref counting teardown */
 		nvme_uninit_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
-		nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 
 		/* Remove core ctrl ref. */
 		nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);