diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
index 58c83525f006..9c4f2b38b34e 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
@@ -3901,6 +3901,8 @@ qla24xx_free_purex_list(struct purex_list *list)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&list->lock, flags);
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(item, next, &list->head, list) {
 		list_del(&item->list);
+		if (item == &item->vha->default_item)
+			continue;
 		kfree(item);
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&list->lock, flags);