diff --git a/drivers/scsi/device_handler/scsi_dh_alua.c b/drivers/scsi/device_handler/scsi_dh_alua.c
index f375167f16ea..7bb20684e9fa 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/device_handler/scsi_dh_alua.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/device_handler/scsi_dh_alua.c
@@ -891,6 +891,7 @@ static void alua_rtpg_queue(struct alua_port_group *pg,
 		/* Do not queue if the worker is already running */
 		if (!(pg->flags & ALUA_PG_RUNNING)) {
 			kref_get(&pg->kref);
+			sdev = NULL;
 			start_queue = 1;
 		}
 	}
@@ -902,7 +903,8 @@ static void alua_rtpg_queue(struct alua_port_group *pg,
 	if (start_queue &&
 	    !queue_delayed_work(alua_wq, &pg->rtpg_work,
 				msecs_to_jiffies(ALUA_RTPG_DELAY_MSECS))) {
-		scsi_device_put(sdev);
+		if (sdev)
+			scsi_device_put(sdev);
 		kref_put(&pg->kref, release_port_group);
 	}
 }