diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
index d3d624d43ec3..b91ef7b75e8d 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
@@ -537,6 +537,7 @@ typedef struct srb {
 	wait_queue_head_t nvme_ls_waitq;
 	struct fc_port *fcport;
 	struct scsi_qla_host *vha;
+	unsigned int start_timer:1;
 	uint32_t handle;
 	uint16_t flags;
 	uint16_t type;
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_iocb.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_iocb.c
index 9312b19ed708..1886de92034c 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_iocb.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_iocb.c
@@ -2540,7 +2540,7 @@ void qla2x00_init_timer(srb_t *sp, unsigned long tmo)
 	sp->free = qla2x00_sp_free;
 	if (IS_QLAFX00(sp->vha->hw) && sp->type == SRB_FXIOCB_DCMD)
 		init_completion(&sp->u.iocb_cmd.u.fxiocb.fxiocb_comp);
-	add_timer(&sp->u.iocb_cmd.timer);
+	sp->start_timer = 1;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -3668,6 +3668,9 @@ qla2x00_start_sp(srb_t *sp)
 		break;
 	}
 
+	if (sp->start_timer)
+		add_timer(&sp->u.iocb_cmd.timer);
+
 	wmb();
 	qla2x00_start_iocbs(vha, qp->req);
 done: