diff --git a/net/ceph/messenger.c b/net/ceph/messenger.c
index 8bffa5b90fef..e51cad0db580 100644
--- a/net/ceph/messenger.c
+++ b/net/ceph/messenger.c
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ static struct lock_class_key socket_class;
 #define SKIP_BUF_SIZE	1024
 
 static void queue_con(struct ceph_connection *con);
+static void cancel_con(struct ceph_connection *con);
 static void con_work(struct work_struct *);
 static void con_fault(struct ceph_connection *con);
 
@@ -680,7 +681,7 @@ void ceph_con_close(struct ceph_connection *con)
 
 	reset_connection(con);
 	con->peer_global_seq = 0;
-	cancel_delayed_work(&con->work);
+	cancel_con(con);
 	con_close_socket(con);
 	mutex_unlock(&con->mutex);
 }
@@ -2667,19 +2668,16 @@ static int queue_con_delay(struct ceph_connection *con, unsigned long delay)
 {
 	if (!con->ops->get(con)) {
 		dout("%s %p ref count 0\n", __func__, con);
-
 		return -ENOENT;
 	}
 
 	if (!queue_delayed_work(ceph_msgr_wq, &con->work, delay)) {
 		dout("%s %p - already queued\n", __func__, con);
 		con->ops->put(con);
-
 		return -EBUSY;
 	}
 
 	dout("%s %p %lu\n", __func__, con, delay);
-
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2688,6 +2686,14 @@ static void queue_con(struct ceph_connection *con)
 	(void) queue_con_delay(con, 0);
 }
 
+static void cancel_con(struct ceph_connection *con)
+{
+	if (cancel_delayed_work(&con->work)) {
+		dout("%s %p\n", __func__, con);
+		con->ops->put(con);
+	}
+}
+
 static bool con_sock_closed(struct ceph_connection *con)
 {
 	if (!con_flag_test_and_clear(con, CON_FLAG_SOCK_CLOSED))