diff --git a/drivers/scsi/elx/libefc/efc_nport.c b/drivers/scsi/elx/libefc/efc_nport.c
index 2e83a667901f..1a7437f4328e 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/elx/libefc/efc_nport.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/elx/libefc/efc_nport.c
@@ -705,9 +705,9 @@ efc_nport_vport_del(struct efc *efc, struct efc_domain *domain,
spin_lock_irqsave(&efc->lock, flags);
list_for_each_entry(nport, &domain->nport_list, list_entry) {
if (nport->wwpn == wwpn && nport->wwnn == wwnn) {
- kref_put(&nport->ref, nport->release);
/* Shutdown this NPORT */
efc_sm_post_event(&nport->sm, EFC_EVT_SHUTDOWN, NULL);
+ kref_put(&nport->ref, nport->release);
break;
}
}
--
2.43.0
