diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
index 8247e58624c10..32cefbd80bdfb 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
@@ -4082,6 +4082,7 @@ int nvme_init_ctrl(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, struct device *dev,
 	if (ret)
 		goto out_release_instance;
 
+	nvme_get_ctrl(ctrl);
 	cdev_init(&ctrl->cdev, &nvme_dev_fops);
 	ctrl->cdev.owner = ops->module;
 	ret = cdev_device_add(&ctrl->cdev, ctrl->device);
@@ -4100,6 +4101,7 @@ int nvme_init_ctrl(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, struct device *dev,
 
 	return 0;
 out_free_name:
+	nvme_put_ctrl(ctrl);
 	kfree_const(ctrl->device->kobj.name);
 out_release_instance:
 	ida_simple_remove(&nvme_instance_ida, ctrl->instance);
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c b/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
index dae050d1f814d..da801a14cd13d 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
@@ -3171,10 +3171,7 @@ nvme_fc_init_ctrl(struct device *dev, struct nvmf_ctrl_options *opts,
 		goto fail_ctrl;
 	}
 
-	nvme_get_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
-
 	if (!queue_delayed_work(nvme_wq, &ctrl->connect_work, 0)) {
-		nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 		dev_err(ctrl->ctrl.device,
 			"NVME-FC{%d}: failed to schedule initial connect\n",
 			ctrl->cnum);
@@ -3199,6 +3196,7 @@ fail_ctrl:
 
 	/* initiate nvme ctrl ref counting teardown */
 	nvme_uninit_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
+	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 
 	/* Remove core ctrl ref. */
 	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/pci.c b/drivers/nvme/host/pci.c
index a91433bdf5de4..75f26d2ec6429 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/pci.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/pci.c
@@ -2850,7 +2850,6 @@ static int nvme_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *id)
 	dev_info(dev->ctrl.device, "pci function %s\n", dev_name(&pdev->dev));
 
 	nvme_reset_ctrl(&dev->ctrl);
-	nvme_get_ctrl(&dev->ctrl);
 	async_schedule(nvme_async_probe, dev);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/rdma.c b/drivers/nvme/host/rdma.c
index f9444272f861e..abe4fe496d05c 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/rdma.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/rdma.c
@@ -2088,8 +2088,6 @@ static struct nvme_ctrl *nvme_rdma_create_ctrl(struct device *dev,
 	dev_info(ctrl->ctrl.device, "new ctrl: NQN \"%s\", addr %pISpcs\n",
 		ctrl->ctrl.opts->subsysnqn, &ctrl->addr);
 
-	nvme_get_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
-
 	mutex_lock(&nvme_rdma_ctrl_mutex);
 	list_add_tail(&ctrl->list, &nvme_rdma_ctrl_list);
 	mutex_unlock(&nvme_rdma_ctrl_mutex);
@@ -2099,6 +2097,7 @@ static struct nvme_ctrl *nvme_rdma_create_ctrl(struct device *dev,
 out_uninit_ctrl:
 	nvme_uninit_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
+	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 	if (ret > 0)
 		ret = -EIO;
 	return ERR_PTR(ret);
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
index c782005ee99f9..6d7a813e7183a 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
@@ -2404,8 +2404,6 @@ static struct nvme_ctrl *nvme_tcp_create_ctrl(struct device *dev,
 	dev_info(ctrl->ctrl.device, "new ctrl: NQN \"%s\", addr %pISp\n",
 		ctrl->ctrl.opts->subsysnqn, &ctrl->addr);
 
-	nvme_get_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
-
 	mutex_lock(&nvme_tcp_ctrl_mutex);
 	list_add_tail(&ctrl->list, &nvme_tcp_ctrl_list);
 	mutex_unlock(&nvme_tcp_ctrl_mutex);
@@ -2415,6 +2413,7 @@ static struct nvme_ctrl *nvme_tcp_create_ctrl(struct device *dev,
 out_uninit_ctrl:
 	nvme_uninit_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
+	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 	if (ret > 0)
 		ret = -EIO;
 	return ERR_PTR(ret);
diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
index 11f5aea97d1b1..82b87a4c50f63 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/loop.c
@@ -619,8 +619,6 @@ static struct nvme_ctrl *nvme_loop_create_ctrl(struct device *dev,
 	dev_info(ctrl->ctrl.device,
 		 "new ctrl: \"%s\"\n", ctrl->ctrl.opts->subsysnqn);
 
-	nvme_get_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
-
 	changed = nvme_change_ctrl_state(&ctrl->ctrl, NVME_CTRL_LIVE);
 	WARN_ON_ONCE(!changed);
 
@@ -638,6 +636,7 @@ out_free_queues:
 	kfree(ctrl->queues);
 out_uninit_ctrl:
 	nvme_uninit_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
+	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 out_put_ctrl:
 	nvme_put_ctrl(&ctrl->ctrl);
 	if (ret > 0)
