diff --git a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
index 4ffd5957637a..385a5212c10f 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/host/tcp.c
@@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@ static void nvme_tcp_io_work(struct work_struct *w)
 {
 	struct nvme_tcp_queue *queue =
 		container_of(w, struct nvme_tcp_queue, io_work);
-	unsigned long start = jiffies + msecs_to_jiffies(1);
+	unsigned long deadline = jiffies + msecs_to_jiffies(1);
 
 	do {
 		bool pending = false;
@@ -1067,7 +1067,7 @@ static void nvme_tcp_io_work(struct work_struct *w)
 		if (!pending)
 			return;
 
-	} while (time_after(jiffies, start)); /* quota is exhausted */
+	} while (!time_after(jiffies, deadline)); /* quota is exhausted */
 
 	queue_work_on(queue->io_cpu, nvme_tcp_wq, &queue->io_work);
 }