diff --git a/drivers/scsi/mpi3mr/mpi3mr_transport.c b/drivers/scsi/mpi3mr/mpi3mr_transport.c
index 90f61a0a8f4ef..5748bd9369ff7 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/mpi3mr/mpi3mr_transport.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/mpi3mr/mpi3mr_transport.c
@@ -2355,15 +2355,16 @@ int mpi3mr_report_tgtdev_to_sas_transport(struct mpi3mr_ioc *mrioc,
 	tgtdev->host_exposed = 1;
 	if (!mpi3mr_sas_port_add(mrioc, tgtdev->dev_handle,
 	    sas_address_parent, hba_port)) {
-		tgtdev->host_exposed = 0;
 		retval = -1;
-	} else if ((!tgtdev->starget)) {
-		if (!mrioc->is_driver_loading)
+		} else if ((!tgtdev->starget) && (!mrioc->is_driver_loading)) {
 			mpi3mr_sas_port_remove(mrioc, sas_address,
 			    sas_address_parent, hba_port);
-		tgtdev->host_exposed = 0;
 		retval = -1;
 	}
+	if (retval) {
+		tgtdev->dev_spec.sas_sata_inf.hba_port = NULL;
+		tgtdev->host_exposed = 0;
+	}
 	return retval;
 }
 
@@ -2392,6 +2393,7 @@ void mpi3mr_remove_tgtdev_from_sas_transport(struct mpi3mr_ioc *mrioc,
 	mpi3mr_sas_port_remove(mrioc, sas_address, sas_address_parent,
 	    hba_port);
 	tgtdev->host_exposed = 0;
+	tgtdev->dev_spec.sas_sata_inf.hba_port = NULL;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -2448,7 +2450,7 @@ static u8 mpi3mr_get_port_id_by_rphy(struct mpi3mr_ioc *mrioc, struct sas_rphy *
 
 		tgtdev = __mpi3mr_get_tgtdev_by_addr_and_rphy(mrioc,
 			    rphy->identify.sas_address, rphy);
-		if (tgtdev) {
+		if (tgtdev && tgtdev->dev_spec.sas_sata_inf.hba_port) {
 			port_id =
 				tgtdev->dev_spec.sas_sata_inf.hba_port->port_id;
 			mpi3mr_tgtdev_put(tgtdev);