static void nvme_keep_alive_finish(struct request *rq,
                blk_status_t status, struct nvme_ctrl *ctrl)
 {
-       unsigned long flags;
-       bool startka = false;
        unsigned long rtt = jiffies - (rq->deadline - rq->timeout);
        unsigned long delay = nvme_keep_alive_work_period(ctrl);
+       enum nvme_ctrl_state state = nvme_ctrl_state(ctrl);
 
        /*
         * Subtract off the keepalive RTT so nvme_keep_alive_work runs
 
        ctrl->ka_last_check_time = jiffies;
        ctrl->comp_seen = false;
-       spin_lock_irqsave(&ctrl->lock, flags);
-       if (ctrl->state == NVME_CTRL_LIVE ||
-           ctrl->state == NVME_CTRL_CONNECTING)
-               startka = true;
-       spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ctrl->lock, flags);
-       if (startka)
+       if (state == NVME_CTRL_LIVE || state == NVME_CTRL_CONNECTING)
                queue_delayed_work(nvme_wq, &ctrl->ka_work, delay);
 }