diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_transport.c b/drivers/target/target_core_transport.c
index 5ab3967dda43..ae97e81141ed 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_transport.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_transport.c
@@ -2557,12 +2557,6 @@ static void target_release_cmd_kref(struct kref *kref)
 	bool fabric_stop;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&se_sess->sess_cmd_lock, flags);
-	if (list_empty(&se_cmd->se_cmd_list)) {
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&se_sess->sess_cmd_lock, flags);
-		target_free_cmd_mem(se_cmd);
-		se_cmd->se_tfo->release_cmd(se_cmd);
-		return;
-	}
 
 	spin_lock(&se_cmd->t_state_lock);
 	fabric_stop = (se_cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_FABRIC_STOP);