* Update it's status and add it to the list in the
         * remote device object.
         */
-       isci_request_change_state(request, started);
        list_add(&request->dev_node, &isci_device->reqs_in_process);
 
        if (status == SCI_SUCCESS) {
                /* Save the tag for possible task mgmt later. */
                request->io_tag = request->sci.io_tag;
+               isci_request_change_state(request, started);
        } else {
                /* The request did not really start in the
                 * hardware, so clear the request handle
                 * here so no terminations will be done.
                 */
                request->terminated = true;
+               isci_request_change_state(request, completed);
        }
        spin_unlock_irqrestore(&isci_host->scic_lock, flags);