diff --git a/drivers/scsi/bnx2i/bnx2i_hwi.c b/drivers/scsi/bnx2i/bnx2i_hwi.c
index dba72a4e6a1c..1ad0b8225560 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/bnx2i/bnx2i_hwi.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/bnx2i/bnx2i_hwi.c
@@ -1906,18 +1906,19 @@ static int bnx2i_queue_scsi_cmd_resp(struct iscsi_session *session,
 	spin_lock(&session->lock);
 	task = iscsi_itt_to_task(bnx2i_conn->cls_conn->dd_data,
 				 cqe->itt & ISCSI_CMD_RESPONSE_INDEX);
-	if (!task) {
+	if (!task || !task->sc) {
 		spin_unlock(&session->lock);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	sc = task->sc;
-	spin_unlock(&session->lock);
 
 	if (!blk_rq_cpu_valid(sc->request))
 		cpu = smp_processor_id();
 	else
 		cpu = sc->request->cpu;
 
+	spin_unlock(&session->lock);
+
 	p = &per_cpu(bnx2i_percpu, cpu);
 	spin_lock(&p->p_work_lock);
 	if (unlikely(!p->iothread)) {