diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_attr.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_attr.c
index 75faf480aa73..260c0300b3e7 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_attr.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_attr.c
@@ -1877,14 +1877,15 @@ qla24xx_vport_delete(struct fc_vport *fc_vport)
 
 	scsi_remove_host(vha->host);
 
+	/* Allow timer to run to drain queued items, when removing vp */
+	qla24xx_deallocate_vp_id(vha);
+
 	if (vha->timer_active) {
 		qla2x00_vp_stop_timer(vha);
 		DEBUG15(printk(KERN_INFO "scsi(%ld): timer for the vport[%d]"
 		" = %p has stopped\n", vha->host_no, vha->vp_idx, vha));
 	}
 
-	qla24xx_deallocate_vp_id(vha);
-
 	/* No pending activities shall be there on the vha now */
 	DEBUG(msleep(random32()%10));  /* Just to see if something falls on
 					* the net we have placed below */