diff --git a/sys/dev/raid/mfi/mfi_tbolt.c b/sys/dev/raid/mfi/mfi_tbolt.c
--- a/sys/dev/raid/mfi/mfi_tbolt.c
+++ b/sys/dev/raid/mfi/mfi_tbolt.c
@@ -1102,8 +1102,10 @@
 
 	index = cmd->index;
 	req_desc = mfi_tbolt_get_request_descriptor(sc, index-1);
-	if (mfi_tbolt_build_io(sc, mfi_cmd, cmd))
+	if (mfi_tbolt_build_io(sc, mfi_cmd, cmd)) {
+		mfi_tbolt_return_cmd(sc, cmd);
 		return NULL;
+	}
 	req_desc->header.SMID = index;
 	return req_desc;
 }