diff --git a/drivers/target/iscsi/iscsi_target_nego.c b/drivers/target/iscsi/iscsi_target_nego.c
index f2919319ad38..ff49c8f3fe24 100644
--- a/drivers/target/iscsi/iscsi_target_nego.c
+++ b/drivers/target/iscsi/iscsi_target_nego.c
@@ -1018,6 +1018,13 @@ static int iscsi_target_handle_csg_one(struct iscsit_conn *conn, struct iscsi_lo
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * RETURN VALUE:
+ *
+ *  1 = Login successful
+ * -1 = Login failed
+ *  0 = More PDU exchanges required
+ */
 static int iscsi_target_do_login(struct iscsit_conn *conn, struct iscsi_login *login)
 {
 	int pdu_count = 0;
@@ -1363,12 +1370,13 @@ int iscsi_target_start_negotiation(
 		ret = -1;
 
 	if (ret < 0) {
-		cancel_delayed_work_sync(&conn->login_work);
 		iscsi_target_restore_sock_callbacks(conn);
 		iscsi_remove_failed_auth_entry(conn);
 	}
-	if (ret != 0)
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		cancel_delayed_work_sync(&conn->login_work);
 		iscsi_target_nego_release(conn);
+	}
 
 	return ret;
 }