diff --git a/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_scsi_host.c b/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_scsi_host.c
index f6e189f4091..eeba76cdf77 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_scsi_host.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_scsi_host.c
@@ -207,6 +207,13 @@ static int sas_queuecommand_lck(struct scsi_cmnd *cmd,
 		struct sas_ha_struct *sas_ha = dev->port->ha;
 		struct sas_task *task;
 
+		/* If the device fell off, no sense in issuing commands */
+		if (dev->gone) {
+			cmd->result = DID_BAD_TARGET << 16;
+			scsi_done(cmd);
+			goto out;
+		}
+
 		if (dev_is_sata(dev)) {
 			unsigned long flags;
 
@@ -216,13 +223,6 @@ static int sas_queuecommand_lck(struct scsi_cmnd *cmd,
 			goto out;
 		}
 
-		/* If the device fell off, no sense in issuing commands */
-		if (dev->gone) {
-			cmd->result = DID_BAD_TARGET << 16;
-			scsi_done(cmd);
-			goto out;
-		}
-
 		res = -ENOMEM;
 		task = sas_create_task(cmd, dev, GFP_ATOMIC);
 		if (!task)