diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
index b3e765a95af8..4dc388a2ecb0 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/core.c
@@ -494,13 +494,14 @@ int nvmet_ns_enable(struct nvmet_ns *ns)
 	int ret;
 
 	mutex_lock(&subsys->lock);
-	ret = -EMFILE;
-	if (subsys->nr_namespaces == NVMET_MAX_NAMESPACES)
-		goto out_unlock;
 	ret = 0;
 	if (ns->enabled)
 		goto out_unlock;
 
+	ret = -EMFILE;
+	if (subsys->nr_namespaces == NVMET_MAX_NAMESPACES)
+		goto out_unlock;
+
 	ret = nvmet_bdev_ns_enable(ns);
 	if (ret == -ENOTBLK)
 		ret = nvmet_file_ns_enable(ns);