diff --git a/hw/scsi/scsi-disk.c b/hw/scsi/scsi-disk.c
index 9645d0194a..2e45752da1 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/scsi-disk.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/scsi-disk.c
@@ -113,11 +113,6 @@ static void scsi_cancel_io(SCSIRequest *req)
     DPRINTF("Cancel tag=0x%x\n", req->tag);
     if (r->req.aiocb) {
         bdrv_aio_cancel(r->req.aiocb);
-
-        /* This reference was left in by scsi_*_data.  We take ownership of
-         * it the moment scsi_req_cancel is called, independent of whether
-         * bdrv_aio_cancel completes the request or not.  */
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
     }
     r->req.aiocb = NULL;
 }
@@ -197,9 +192,7 @@ static void scsi_aio_complete(void *opaque, int ret)
     scsi_req_complete(&r->req, GOOD);
 
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
 }
 
 static bool scsi_is_cmd_fua(SCSICommand *cmd)
@@ -246,9 +239,7 @@ static void scsi_write_do_fua(SCSIDiskReq *r)
     scsi_req_complete(&r->req, GOOD);
 
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
 }
 
 static void scsi_dma_complete_noio(void *opaque, int ret)
@@ -280,9 +271,7 @@ static void scsi_dma_complete_noio(void *opaque, int ret)
     }
 
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
 }
 
 static void scsi_dma_complete(void *opaque, int ret)
@@ -320,9 +309,7 @@ static void scsi_read_complete(void * opaque, int ret)
     scsi_req_data(&r->req, r->qiov.size);
 
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
 }
 
 /* Actually issue a read to the block device.  */
@@ -363,9 +350,7 @@ static void scsi_do_read(void *opaque, int ret)
     }
 
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
 }
 
 /* Read more data from scsi device into buffer.  */
@@ -481,9 +466,7 @@ static void scsi_write_complete(void * opaque, int ret)
     }
 
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
 }
 
 static void scsi_write_data(SCSIRequest *req)
@@ -1582,9 +1565,7 @@ static void scsi_unmap_complete(void *opaque, int ret)
     scsi_req_complete(&r->req, GOOD);
 
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
     g_free(data);
 }
 
@@ -1678,9 +1659,7 @@ static void scsi_write_same_complete(void *opaque, int ret)
     scsi_req_complete(&r->req, GOOD);
 
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
     qemu_vfree(data->iov.iov_base);
     g_free(data);
 }
diff --git a/hw/scsi/scsi-generic.c b/hw/scsi/scsi-generic.c
index 2a73a43d1d..e92b418933 100644
--- a/hw/scsi/scsi-generic.c
+++ b/hw/scsi/scsi-generic.c
@@ -137,9 +137,7 @@ static void scsi_command_complete(void *opaque, int ret)
 
     scsi_req_complete(&r->req, status);
 done:
-    if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-    }
+    scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
 }
 
 /* Cancel a pending data transfer.  */
@@ -150,11 +148,6 @@ static void scsi_cancel_io(SCSIRequest *req)
     DPRINTF("Cancel tag=0x%x\n", req->tag);
     if (r->req.aiocb) {
         bdrv_aio_cancel(r->req.aiocb);
-
-        /* This reference was left in by scsi_*_data.  We take ownership of
-         * it independent of whether bdrv_aio_cancel completes the request
-         * or not.  */
-        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
     }
     r->req.aiocb = NULL;
 }
@@ -214,9 +207,7 @@ static void scsi_read_complete(void * opaque, int ret)
         bdrv_set_guest_block_size(s->conf.bs, s->blocksize);
 
         scsi_req_data(&r->req, len);
-        if (!r->req.io_canceled) {
-            scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
-        }
+        scsi_req_unref(&r->req);
     }
 }