diff --git a/qla2x00t-32gbit/qla_target.c b/qla2x00t-32gbit/qla_target.c
index d44f1c12a..b57dfda98 100644
--- a/qla2x00t-32gbit/qla_target.c
+++ b/qla2x00t-32gbit/qla_target.c
@@ -3237,7 +3237,8 @@ int qlt_xmit_response(struct qla_tgt_cmd *cmd, int xmit_type,
 	if (!qpair->fw_started || (cmd->reset_count != qpair->chip_reset) ||
 	    (cmd->sess && cmd->sess->deleted)) {
 		cmd->state = QLA_TGT_STATE_PROCESSED;
-		return 0;
+		res = 0;
+		goto free;
 	}
 
 	ql_dbg_qp(ql_dbg_tgt, qpair, 0xe018,
@@ -3248,9 +3249,8 @@ int qlt_xmit_response(struct qla_tgt_cmd *cmd, int xmit_type,
 
 	res = qlt_pre_xmit_response(cmd, &prm, xmit_type, scsi_status,
 	    &full_req_cnt);
-	if (unlikely(res != 0)) {
-		return res;
-	}
+	if (unlikely(res != 0))
+		goto free;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(qpair->qp_lock_ptr, flags);
 
@@ -3270,7 +3270,8 @@ int qlt_xmit_response(struct qla_tgt_cmd *cmd, int xmit_type,
 			vha->flags.online, qla2x00_reset_active(vha),
 			cmd->reset_count, qpair->chip_reset);
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(qpair->qp_lock_ptr, flags);
-		return 0;
+		res = 0;
+		goto free;
 	}
 
 	/* Does F/W have an IOCBs for this request */
@@ -3377,6 +3378,8 @@ out_unmap_unlock:
 	qlt_unmap_sg(vha, cmd);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(qpair->qp_lock_ptr, flags);
 
+free:
+	vha->hw->tgt.tgt_ops->free_cmd(cmd);
 	return res;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(qlt_xmit_response);