diff --git a/drivers/scsi/scsi_sysfs.c b/drivers/scsi/scsi_sysfs.c
index c23ab978c3ba..86ea5f3e74ea 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/scsi_sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/scsi_sysfs.c
@@ -990,10 +990,11 @@ static void __scsi_remove_target(struct scsi_target *starget)
 	list_for_each_entry(sdev, &shost->__devices, siblings) {
 		if (sdev->channel != starget->channel ||
 		    sdev->id != starget->id ||
-		    sdev->sdev_state == SDEV_DEL)
+		    scsi_device_get(sdev))
 			continue;
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(shost->host_lock, flags);
 		scsi_remove_device(sdev);
+		scsi_device_put(sdev);
 		spin_lock_irqsave(shost->host_lock, flags);
 		goto restart;
 	}