diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
index acc816b67582..d470f031e27f 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/core.c
@@ -2590,7 +2590,7 @@ static void nvme_async_event_work(struct work_struct *work)
 		container_of(work, struct nvme_ctrl, async_event_work);
 
 	spin_lock_irq(&ctrl->lock);
-	while (ctrl->event_limit > 0) {
+	while (ctrl->state == NVME_CTRL_LIVE && ctrl->event_limit > 0) {
 		int aer_idx = --ctrl->event_limit;
 
 		spin_unlock_irq(&ctrl->lock);
@@ -2677,7 +2677,8 @@ void nvme_complete_async_event(struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl, __le16 status,
 		/*FALLTHRU*/
 	case NVME_SC_ABORT_REQ:
 		++ctrl->event_limit;
-		queue_work(nvme_wq, &ctrl->async_event_work);
+		if (ctrl->state == NVME_CTRL_LIVE)
+			schedule_work(&ctrl->async_event_work);
 		break;
 	default:
 		break;