diff --git a/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c b/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
index b2e332af0f51..c71344aebdbb 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/scsi_lib.c
@@ -821,9 +821,12 @@ void scsi_io_completion(struct scsi_cmnd *cmd, unsigned int good_bytes)
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * If we finished all bytes in the request we are done now.
+	 * special case: failed zero length commands always need to
+	 * drop down into the retry code. Otherwise, if we finished
+	 * all bytes in the request we are done now.
 	 */
-	if (!scsi_end_request(req, error, good_bytes, 0))
+	if (!(blk_rq_bytes(req) == 0 && error) &&
+	    !scsi_end_request(req, error, good_bytes, 0))
 		return;
 
 	/*