diff --git a/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c b/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
index e9901b8f844..0bac91e7237 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
@@ -400,10 +400,15 @@ static inline int scsi_host_is_busy(struct Scsi_Host *shost)
 static void scsi_run_queue(struct request_queue *q)
 {
 	struct scsi_device *sdev = q->queuedata;
-	struct Scsi_Host *shost = sdev->host;
+	struct Scsi_Host *shost;
 	LIST_HEAD(starved_list);
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	/* if the device is dead, sdev will be NULL, so no queue to run */
+	if (!sdev)
+		return;
+
+	shost = sdev->host;
 	if (scsi_target(sdev)->single_lun)
 		scsi_single_lun_run(sdev);