diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
index 6d6e10812b42..1cc6913f76c4 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
@@ -3897,6 +3897,7 @@ qla24xx_report_id_acquisition(scsi_qla_host_t *vha,
 				fcport->dm_login_expire = jiffies + 2*HZ;
 				fcport->scan_state = QLA_FCPORT_FOUND;
 				fcport->n2n_flag = 1;
+				fcport->keep_nport_handle = 1;
 				if (vha->flags.nvme_enabled)
 					fcport->fc4f_nvme = 1;
 
@@ -4042,6 +4043,7 @@ qla24xx_report_id_acquisition(scsi_qla_host_t *vha,
 			fcport->login_retry = vha->hw->login_retry_count;
 			fcport->plogi_nack_done_deadline = jiffies + HZ;
 			fcport->scan_state = QLA_FCPORT_FOUND;
+			fcport->keep_nport_handle = 1;
 			fcport->n2n_flag = 1;
 			fcport->d_id.b.domain =
 				rptid_entry->u.f2.remote_nport_id[2];
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
index 8411dd5acd43..ee47de9fbc05 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
@@ -5135,11 +5135,9 @@ void qla24xx_create_new_sess(struct scsi_qla_host *vha, struct qla_work_evt *e)
 			if (dfcp)
 				qlt_schedule_sess_for_deletion(tfcp);
 
-
-			if (N2N_TOPO(vha->hw))
-				fcport->flags &= ~FCF_FABRIC_DEVICE;
-
 			if (N2N_TOPO(vha->hw)) {
+				fcport->flags &= ~FCF_FABRIC_DEVICE;
+				fcport->keep_nport_handle = 1;
 				if (vha->flags.nvme_enabled) {
 					fcport->fc4f_nvme = 1;
 					fcport->n2n_flag = 1;