diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
index fe14609d2254f..0f22f333ff247 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
@@ -463,8 +463,10 @@ static void nvme_loop_reset_ctrl_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	nvme_loop_shutdown_ctrl(ctrl);
 
 	if (!nvme_change_ctrl_state(&ctrl->ctrl, NVME_CTRL_CONNECTING)) {
-		/* state change failure should never happen */
-		WARN_ON_ONCE(1);
+		if (ctrl->ctrl.state != NVME_CTRL_DELETING &&
+		    ctrl->ctrl.state != NVME_CTRL_DELETING_NOIO)
+			/* state change failure for non-deleted ctrl? */
+			WARN_ON_ONCE(1);
 		return;
 	}