diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c b/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
index 7409da42b9ee..55884d3df6f2 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/fc.c
@@ -781,11 +781,19 @@ restart:
 static void
 nvme_fc_ctrl_connectivity_loss(struct nvme_fc_ctrl *ctrl)
 {
+	enum nvme_ctrl_state state;
+	unsigned long flags;
+
 	dev_info(ctrl->ctrl.device,
 		"NVME-FC{%d}: controller connectivity lost. Awaiting "
 		"Reconnect", ctrl->cnum);
 
-	switch (nvme_ctrl_state(&ctrl->ctrl)) {
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&ctrl->lock, flags);
+	set_bit(ASSOC_FAILED, &ctrl->flags);
+	state = nvme_ctrl_state(&ctrl->ctrl);
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ctrl->lock, flags);
+
+	switch (state) {
 	case NVME_CTRL_NEW:
 	case NVME_CTRL_LIVE:
 		/*
@@ -2542,7 +2550,6 @@ nvme_fc_error_recovery(struct nvme_fc_ctrl *ctrl, char *errmsg)
 	 */
 	if (ctrl->ctrl.state == NVME_CTRL_CONNECTING) {
 		__nvme_fc_abort_outstanding_ios(ctrl, true);
-		set_bit(ASSOC_FAILED, &ctrl->flags);
 		dev_warn(ctrl->ctrl.device,
 			"NVME-FC{%d}: transport error during (re)connect\n",
 			ctrl->cnum);
@@ -3167,12 +3174,18 @@ nvme_fc_create_association(struct nvme_fc_ctrl *ctrl)
 		else
 			ret = nvme_fc_recreate_io_queues(ctrl);
 	}
-	if (!ret && test_bit(ASSOC_FAILED, &ctrl->flags))
-		ret = -EIO;
 	if (ret)
 		goto out_term_aen_ops;
 
-	changed = nvme_change_ctrl_state(&ctrl->ctrl, NVME_CTRL_LIVE);
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&ctrl->lock, flags);
+	if (!test_bit(ASSOC_FAILED, &ctrl->flags))
+		changed = nvme_change_ctrl_state(&ctrl->ctrl, NVME_CTRL_LIVE);
+	else
+		ret = -EIO;
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ctrl->lock, flags);
+
+	if (ret)
+		goto out_term_aen_ops;
 
 	ctrl->ctrl.nr_reconnects = 0;