diff --git a/block/blk-mq.c b/block/blk-mq.c
index b6888ff556cf..d394cdd8d8c6 100644
--- a/block/blk-mq.c
+++ b/block/blk-mq.c
@@ -1075,6 +1075,9 @@ static bool blk_mq_mark_tag_wait(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx **hctx,
 
 #define BLK_MQ_RESOURCE_DELAY	3		/* ms units */
 
+/*
+ * Returns true if we did some work AND can potentially do more.
+ */
 bool blk_mq_dispatch_rq_list(struct request_queue *q, struct list_head *list,
 			     bool got_budget)
 {
@@ -1205,8 +1208,17 @@ bool blk_mq_dispatch_rq_list(struct request_queue *q, struct list_head *list,
 			blk_mq_run_hw_queue(hctx, true);
 		else if (needs_restart && (ret == BLK_STS_RESOURCE))
 			blk_mq_delay_run_hw_queue(hctx, BLK_MQ_RESOURCE_DELAY);
+
+		return false;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * If the host/device is unable to accept more work, inform the
+	 * caller of that.
+	 */
+	if (ret == BLK_STS_RESOURCE || ret == BLK_STS_DEV_RESOURCE)
+		return false;
+
 	return (queued + errors) != 0;
 }