diff --git a/sys/dev/mps/mps_sas_lsi.c b/sys/dev/mps/mps_sas_lsi.c
index d5e51eb6ca6c..cfdaf70fda7b 100644
--- a/sys/dev/mps/mps_sas_lsi.c
+++ b/sys/dev/mps/mps_sas_lsi.c
@@ -1004,11 +1004,11 @@ mpssas_get_sata_identify(struct mps_softc *sc, u16 handle,
 	 * the command did timeout, use EWOULDBLOCK.
 	 */
 	if ((cm != NULL)
-	 && (cm->cm_flags & MPS_CM_FLAGS_SATA_ID_TIMEOUT) == 0)
+	 && (cm->cm_flags & MPS_CM_FLAGS_SATA_ID_TIMEOUT) == 0) {
 		mps_free_command(sc, cm);
-	else if (error == 0)
+		free(buffer, M_MPT2);
+	} else if (error == 0)
 		error = EWOULDBLOCK;
-	free(buffer, M_MPT2);
 	return (error);
 }