diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
index 02aff5cc48bf2..3388d2788fe05 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
@@ -183,15 +183,12 @@ static blk_status_t nvme_loop_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	blk_mq_start_request(req);
 	iod->cmd.common.flags |= NVME_CMD_SGL_METABUF;
 	iod->req.port = nvmet_loop_port;
 	if (!nvmet_req_init(&iod->req, &queue->nvme_cq,
-			&queue->nvme_sq, &nvme_loop_ops)) {
-		nvme_cleanup_cmd(req);
-		blk_mq_start_request(req);
-		nvme_loop_queue_response(&iod->req);
+			&queue->nvme_sq, &nvme_loop_ops))
 		return BLK_STS_OK;
-	}
 
 	if (blk_rq_bytes(req)) {
 		iod->sg_table.sgl = iod->first_sgl;
@@ -204,8 +201,6 @@ static blk_status_t nvme_loop_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 		iod->req.sg_cnt = blk_rq_map_sg(req->q, req, iod->sg_table.sgl);
 	}
 
-	blk_mq_start_request(req);
-
 	schedule_work(&iod->work);
 	return BLK_STS_OK;
 }