diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
index 1eee21310deee7d86cba53f1269f4085ffcf819f..c7dcc5a58b2587e4dd395cf784ae58f54a7425d2 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
@@ -607,8 +607,10 @@ static struct nvme_ctrl *nvme_loop_create_ctrl(struct device *dev,
 
 	ret = nvme_init_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl, dev, &nvme_loop_ctrl_ops,
 				0 /* no quirks, we're perfect! */);
-	if (ret)
-		goto out_put_ctrl;
+	if (ret) {
+		kfree(ctrl);
+		goto out;
+	}
 
 	ret = -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -661,8 +663,8 @@ static struct nvme_ctrl *nvme_loop_create_ctrl(struct device *dev,
 	kfree(ctrl->queues);
 out_uninit_ctrl:
 	nvme_uninit_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
-out_put_ctrl:
 	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
+out:
 	if (ret > 0)
 		ret = -EIO;
 	return ERR_PTR(ret);