diff --git a/drivers/target/iscsi/iscsi_target.c b/drivers/target/iscsi/iscsi_target.c
index d9ba4ee2c62b..52fa52c20be0 100644
--- a/drivers/target/iscsi/iscsi_target.c
+++ b/drivers/target/iscsi/iscsi_target.c
@@ -834,6 +834,7 @@ static int iscsit_add_reject_from_cmd(
 	unsigned char *buf)
 {
 	struct iscsi_conn *conn;
+	const bool do_put = cmd->se_cmd.se_tfo != NULL;
 
 	if (!cmd->conn) {
 		pr_err("cmd->conn is NULL for ITT: 0x%08x\n",
@@ -864,7 +865,7 @@ static int iscsit_add_reject_from_cmd(
 	 * Perform the kref_put now if se_cmd has already been setup by
 	 * scsit_setup_scsi_cmd()
 	 */
-	if (cmd->se_cmd.se_tfo != NULL) {
+	if (do_put) {
 		pr_debug("iscsi reject: calling target_put_sess_cmd >>>>>>\n");
 		target_put_sess_cmd(&cmd->se_cmd);
 	}