diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_device.c b/drivers/target/target_core_device.c
index d4185c1bed8a..1fcac654cfaa 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_device.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_device.c
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ struct se_device *target_alloc_device(struct se_hba *hba, const char *name)
 
 	dev->queues = kcalloc(nr_cpu_ids, sizeof(*dev->queues), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!dev->queues) {
-		dev->transport->free_device(dev);
+		hba->backend->ops->free_device(dev);
 		return NULL;
 	}