diff --git a/block/blk-core.c b/block/blk-core.c
index c487b94c59e3..33e2f62d5062 100644
--- a/block/blk-core.c
+++ b/block/blk-core.c
@@ -207,6 +207,22 @@ void blk_delay_queue(struct request_queue *q, unsigned long msecs)
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(blk_delay_queue);
 
 /**
+ * blk_start_queue_async - asynchronously restart a previously stopped queue
+ * @q:    The &struct request_queue in question
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   blk_start_queue_async() will clear the stop flag on the queue, and
+ *   ensure that the request_fn for the queue is run from an async
+ *   context.
+ **/
+void blk_start_queue_async(struct request_queue *q)
+{
+	queue_flag_clear(QUEUE_FLAG_STOPPED, q);
+	blk_run_queue_async(q);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(blk_start_queue_async);
+
+/**
  * blk_start_queue - restart a previously stopped queue
  * @q:    The &struct request_queue in question
  *
diff --git a/drivers/block/null_blk.c b/drivers/block/null_blk.c
index a428e4ef71fd..09e3c0d87ecc 100644
--- a/drivers/block/null_blk.c
+++ b/drivers/block/null_blk.c
@@ -232,20 +232,19 @@ static void end_cmd(struct nullb_cmd *cmd)
 		break;
 	case NULL_Q_BIO:
 		bio_endio(cmd->bio);
-		goto free_cmd;
+		break;
 	}
 
+	free_cmd(cmd);
+
 	/* Restart queue if needed, as we are freeing a tag */
-	if (q && !q->mq_ops && blk_queue_stopped(q)) {
+	if (queue_mode == NULL_Q_RQ && blk_queue_stopped(q)) {
 		unsigned long flags;
 
 		spin_lock_irqsave(q->queue_lock, flags);
-		if (blk_queue_stopped(q))
-			blk_start_queue(q);
+		blk_start_queue_async(q);
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(q->queue_lock, flags);
 	}
-free_cmd:
-	free_cmd(cmd);
 }
 
 static enum hrtimer_restart null_cmd_timer_expired(struct hrtimer *timer)
diff --git a/include/linux/blkdev.h b/include/linux/blkdev.h
index 0169ba2e2e64..c70e3588a48c 100644
--- a/include/linux/blkdev.h
+++ b/include/linux/blkdev.h
@@ -797,6 +797,7 @@ extern int sg_scsi_ioctl(struct request_queue *, struct gendisk *, fmode_t,
 extern int blk_queue_enter(struct request_queue *q, gfp_t gfp);
 extern void blk_queue_exit(struct request_queue *q);
 extern void blk_start_queue(struct request_queue *q);
+extern void blk_start_queue_async(struct request_queue *q);
 extern void blk_stop_queue(struct request_queue *q);
 extern void blk_sync_queue(struct request_queue *q);
 extern void __blk_stop_queue(struct request_queue *q);