diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c b/drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c
index 79c8caced81f..18d084ed497e 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/multipath.c
@@ -690,6 +690,14 @@ void nvme_mpath_remove_disk(struct nvme_ns_head *head)
 	kblockd_schedule_work(&head->requeue_work);
 	flush_work(&head->requeue_work);
 	blk_cleanup_queue(head->disk->queue);
+	if (!test_bit(NVME_NSHEAD_DISK_LIVE, &head->flags)) {
+		/*
+		 * if device_add_disk wasn't called, prevent
+		 * disk release to put a bogus reference on the
+		 * request queue
+		 */
+		head->disk->queue = NULL;
+	}
 	put_disk(head->disk);
 }