diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c b/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
index 563432400f72..23be85418b3b 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-eh.c
@@ -647,7 +647,7 @@ void ata_scsi_cmd_error_handler(struct Scsi_Host *host, struct ata_port *ap,
 				break;
 		}
 
-		if (qc == ap->deferred_qc) {
+		if (i < ATA_MAX_QUEUE && qc == ap->deferred_qc) {
 			/*
 			 * This is a deferred command that timed out while
 			 * waiting for the command queue to drain. Since the qc