diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
index 55fc0728764e..573e72139331 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
@@ -1200,6 +1200,8 @@ static void nvme_enable_aen(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl)
 	if (status)
 		dev_warn(ctrl->device, "Failed to configure AEN (cfg %x)\n",
 			 supported_aens);
+
+	queue_work(nvme_wq, &ctrl->async_event_work);
 }
 
 static int nvme_submit_io(struct nvme_ns *ns, struct nvme_user_io __user *uio)
@@ -3785,10 +3787,10 @@ void nvme_start_ctrl(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl)
 	if (ctrl->kato)
 		nvme_start_keep_alive(ctrl);
 
+	nvme_enable_aen(ctrl);
+
 	if (ctrl->queue_count > 1) {
 		nvme_queue_scan(ctrl);
-		nvme_enable_aen(ctrl);
-		queue_work(nvme_wq, &ctrl->async_event_work);
 		nvme_start_queues(ctrl);
 	}
 }