diff --git a/drivers/scsi/isci/core/scic_sds_port.c b/drivers/scsi/isci/core/scic_sds_port.c
index 04a56c5a68d9..e1c873406e50 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/isci/core/scic_sds_port.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/isci/core/scic_sds_port.c
@@ -1232,8 +1232,7 @@ static enum sci_status scic_sds_port_ready_operational_substate_start_io_handler
 	struct scic_sds_remote_device *device,
 	struct scic_sds_request *io_request)
 {
-	scic_sds_port_increment_request_count(port);
-
+	port->started_request_count++;
 	return SCI_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/isci/core/scic_sds_port.h b/drivers/scsi/isci/core/scic_sds_port.h
index 115cbe3129a8..213d42330b4b 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/isci/core/scic_sds_port.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/isci/core/scic_sds_port.h
@@ -359,11 +359,6 @@ struct scic_sds_port_state_handler {
 	((this_port)->physical_port_index)
 
 
-static inline void scic_sds_port_increment_request_count(struct scic_sds_port *sci_port)
-{
-	sci_port->started_request_count++;
-}
-
 static inline void scic_sds_port_decrement_request_count(struct scic_sds_port *sci_port)
 {
 	if (WARN_ONCE(sci_port->started_request_count == 0,