diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_device.c b/drivers/target/target_core_device.c
index d21f88de197c..301fe376a120 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_device.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_device.c
@@ -883,7 +883,6 @@ sector_t target_to_linux_sector(struct se_device *dev, sector_t lb)
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(target_to_linux_sector);
 
 struct devices_idr_iter {
-	struct config_item *prev_item;
 	int (*fn)(struct se_device *dev, void *data);
 	void *data;
 };
@@ -893,11 +892,9 @@ static int target_devices_idr_iter(int id, void *p, void *data)
 {
 	struct devices_idr_iter *iter = data;
 	struct se_device *dev = p;
+	struct config_item *item;
 	int ret;
 
-	config_item_put(iter->prev_item);
-	iter->prev_item = NULL;
-
 	/*
 	 * We add the device early to the idr, so it can be used
 	 * by backend modules during configuration. We do not want
@@ -907,12 +904,13 @@ static int target_devices_idr_iter(int id, void *p, void *data)
 	if (!target_dev_configured(dev))
 		return 0;
 
-	iter->prev_item = config_item_get_unless_zero(&dev->dev_group.cg_item);
-	if (!iter->prev_item)
+	item = config_item_get_unless_zero(&dev->dev_group.cg_item);
+	if (!item)
 		return 0;
 	mutex_unlock(&device_mutex);
 
 	ret = iter->fn(dev, iter->data);
+	config_item_put(item);
 
 	mutex_lock(&device_mutex);
 	return ret;
@@ -935,7 +933,6 @@ int target_for_each_device(int (*fn)(struct se_device *dev, void *data),
 	mutex_lock(&device_mutex);
 	ret = idr_for_each(&devices_idr, target_devices_idr_iter, &iter);
 	mutex_unlock(&device_mutex);
-	config_item_put(iter.prev_item);
 	return ret;
 }