diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/tcp.c b/drivers/nvme/target/tcp.c
index e63a50e22e5a..e8c7135c4c11 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/tcp.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/tcp.c
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ static void nvmet_tcp_fatal_error(struct nvmet_tcp_queue *queue)
 
 static void nvmet_tcp_socket_error(struct nvmet_tcp_queue *queue, int status)
 {
+	queue->rcv_state = NVMET_TCP_RECV_ERR;
 	if (status == -EPIPE || status == -ECONNRESET)
 		kernel_sock_shutdown(queue->sock, SHUT_RDWR);
 	else
@@ -828,15 +829,11 @@ static int nvmet_tcp_handle_icreq(struct nvmet_tcp_queue *queue)
 	iov.iov_len = sizeof(*icresp);
 	ret = kernel_sendmsg(queue->sock, &msg, &iov, 1, iov.iov_len);
 	if (ret < 0)
-		goto free_crypto;
+		return ret; /* queue removal will cleanup */
 
 	queue->state = NVMET_TCP_Q_LIVE;
 	nvmet_prepare_receive_pdu(queue);
 	return 0;
-free_crypto:
-	if (queue->hdr_digest || queue->data_digest)
-		nvmet_tcp_free_crypto(queue);
-	return ret;
 }
 
 static void nvmet_tcp_handle_req_failure(struct nvmet_tcp_queue *queue,