diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/configfs.c b/drivers/nvme/target/configfs.c
index baf8a3e4ed12..9add3516ae2e 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/configfs.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/configfs.c
@@ -507,10 +507,18 @@ static ssize_t nvmet_ns_enable_store(struct config_item *item,
 	if (strtobool(page, &enable))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	/*
+	 * take a global nvmet_config_sem because the disable routine has a
+	 * window where it releases the subsys-lock, giving a chance to
+	 * a parallel enable to concurrently execute causing the disable to
+	 * have a misaccounting of the ns percpu_ref.
+	 */
+	down_write(&nvmet_config_sem);
 	if (enable)
 		ret = nvmet_ns_enable(ns);
 	else
 		nvmet_ns_disable(ns);
+	up_write(&nvmet_config_sem);
 
 	return ret ? ret : count;
 }