diff --git a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_scsi.c b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_scsi.c
index 2c7e0b22db2f..96ac4a154c58 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_scsi.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/lpfc/lpfc_scsi.c
@@ -671,8 +671,10 @@ lpfc_get_scsi_buf_s4(struct lpfc_hba *phba, struct lpfc_nodelist *ndlp,
 	lpfc_cmd->prot_data_type = 0;
 #endif
 	tmp = lpfc_get_cmd_rsp_buf_per_hdwq(phba, lpfc_cmd);
-	if (!tmp)
+	if (!tmp) {
+		lpfc_release_io_buf(phba, lpfc_cmd, lpfc_cmd->hdwq);
 		return NULL;
+	}
 
 	lpfc_cmd->fcp_cmnd = tmp->fcp_cmnd;
 	lpfc_cmd->fcp_rsp = tmp->fcp_rsp;