diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/srp/ib_srp.c b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/srp/ib_srp.c
index 15b4d2ce4989..076a3ab7f779 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/srp/ib_srp.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/srp/ib_srp.c
@@ -593,6 +593,7 @@ static void srp_remove_target(struct srp_target_port *target)
 	srp_disconnect_target(target);
 	ib_destroy_cm_id(target->cm_id);
 	srp_free_target_ib(target);
+	cancel_work_sync(&target->tl_err_work);
 	srp_rport_put(target->rport);
 	srp_free_req_data(target);
 	scsi_host_put(target->scsi_host);
@@ -1362,6 +1363,21 @@ static void srp_handle_recv(struct srp_target_port *target, struct ib_wc *wc)
 			     PFX "Recv failed with error code %d\n", res);
 }
 
+/**
+ * srp_tl_err_work() - handle a transport layer error
+ *
+ * Note: This function may get invoked before the rport has been created,
+ * hence the target->rport test.
+ */
+static void srp_tl_err_work(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct srp_target_port *target;
+
+	target = container_of(work, struct srp_target_port, tl_err_work);
+	if (target->rport)
+		srp_start_tl_fail_timers(target->rport);
+}
+
 static void srp_handle_qp_err(enum ib_wc_status wc_status,
 			      enum ib_wc_opcode wc_opcode,
 			      struct srp_target_port *target)
@@ -1371,6 +1387,7 @@ static void srp_handle_qp_err(enum ib_wc_status wc_status,
 			     PFX "failed %s status %d\n",
 			     wc_opcode & IB_WC_RECV ? "receive" : "send",
 			     wc_status);
+		queue_work(system_long_wq, &target->tl_err_work);
 	}
 	target->qp_in_error = true;
 }
@@ -1733,6 +1750,7 @@ static int srp_cm_handler(struct ib_cm_id *cm_id, struct ib_cm_event *event)
 		if (ib_send_cm_drep(cm_id, NULL, 0))
 			shost_printk(KERN_ERR, target->scsi_host,
 				     PFX "Sending CM DREP failed\n");
+		queue_work(system_long_wq, &target->tl_err_work);
 		break;
 
 	case IB_CM_TIMEWAIT_EXIT:
@@ -2419,6 +2437,7 @@ static ssize_t srp_create_target(struct device *dev,
 			     sizeof (struct srp_indirect_buf) +
 			     target->cmd_sg_cnt * sizeof (struct srp_direct_buf);
 
+	INIT_WORK(&target->tl_err_work, srp_tl_err_work);
 	INIT_WORK(&target->remove_work, srp_remove_work);
 	spin_lock_init(&target->lock);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&target->free_tx);
diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/srp/ib_srp.h b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/srp/ib_srp.h
index fd1817e48ad4..446b0452107b 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/srp/ib_srp.h
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/srp/ib_srp.h
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ struct srp_target_port {
 	struct srp_iu	       *rx_ring[SRP_RQ_SIZE];
 	struct srp_request	req_ring[SRP_CMD_SQ_SIZE];
 
+	struct work_struct	tl_err_work;
 	struct work_struct	remove_work;
 
 	struct list_head	list;