diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
index 5fb5e8ba531b63e72f09e6ed0e01003b5c952e5a..f49085bcaa42ab7593110d7709edc5fa660a760f 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
@@ -4313,8 +4313,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(nvme_stop_ctrl);
 
 void nvme_start_ctrl(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl)
 {
-	if (ctrl->kato)
-		nvme_start_keep_alive(ctrl);
+	nvme_start_keep_alive(ctrl);
 
 	nvme_enable_aen(ctrl);