diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_nvme.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_nvme.c
index 0038b6274d44..3b2f255a5d7d 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_nvme.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_nvme.c
@@ -463,7 +463,6 @@ static void qla_nvme_ls_abort(struct nvme_fc_local_port *lport,
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&priv->cmd_lock, flags);
 
-	INIT_WORK(&priv->abort_work, qla_nvme_abort_work);
 	schedule_work(&priv->abort_work);
 }
 
@@ -501,6 +500,7 @@ static int qla_nvme_ls_req(struct nvme_fc_local_port *lport,
 	priv->sp = sp;
 	kref_init(&sp->cmd_kref);
 	spin_lock_init(&priv->cmd_lock);
+	INIT_WORK(&priv->abort_work, qla_nvme_abort_work);
 	nvme = &sp->u.iocb_cmd;
 	priv->fd = fd;
 	nvme->u.nvme.desc = fd;
@@ -545,7 +545,6 @@ static void qla_nvme_fcp_abort(struct nvme_fc_local_port *lport,
 	}
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&priv->cmd_lock, flags);
 
-	INIT_WORK(&priv->abort_work, qla_nvme_abort_work);
 	schedule_work(&priv->abort_work);
 }
 
@@ -877,6 +876,7 @@ static int qla_nvme_post_cmd(struct nvme_fc_local_port *lport,
 
 	kref_init(&sp->cmd_kref);
 	spin_lock_init(&priv->cmd_lock);
+	INIT_WORK(&priv->abort_work, qla_nvme_abort_work);
 	sp->priv = priv;
 	priv->sp = sp;
 	sp->type = SRB_NVME_CMD;