diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_internal.h b/drivers/target/target_core_internal.h
index 0c6635587930..853344415963 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_internal.h
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_internal.h
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ int	init_se_kmem_caches(void);
 void	release_se_kmem_caches(void);
 u32	scsi_get_new_index(scsi_index_t);
 void	transport_subsystem_check_init(void);
-int	transport_cmd_finish_abort(struct se_cmd *);
 unsigned char *transport_dump_cmd_direction(struct se_cmd *);
 void	transport_dump_dev_state(struct se_device *, char *, int *);
 void	transport_dump_dev_info(struct se_device *, struct se_lun *,
@@ -148,7 +147,6 @@ int	transport_dump_vpd_assoc(struct t10_vpd *, unsigned char *, int);
 int	transport_dump_vpd_ident_type(struct t10_vpd *, unsigned char *, int);
 int	transport_dump_vpd_ident(struct t10_vpd *, unsigned char *, int);
 void	transport_clear_lun_ref(struct se_lun *);
-void	transport_send_task_abort(struct se_cmd *);
 sense_reason_t	target_cmd_size_check(struct se_cmd *cmd, unsigned int size);
 void	target_qf_do_work(struct work_struct *work);
 bool	target_check_wce(struct se_device *dev);
diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_tmr.c b/drivers/target/target_core_tmr.c
index 6d1179a7f043..2750a2c7b563 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_tmr.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_tmr.c
@@ -170,11 +170,15 @@ void core_tmr_abort_task(
 
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&se_sess->sess_cmd_lock, flags);
 
-		cancel_work_sync(&se_cmd->work);
-		transport_wait_for_tasks(se_cmd);
+		/*
+		 * Ensure that this ABORT request is visible to the LU RESET
+		 * code.
+		 */
+		if (!tmr->tmr_dev)
+			WARN_ON_ONCE(transport_lookup_tmr_lun(tmr->task_cmd,
+						se_cmd->orig_fe_lun) < 0);
 
-		if (!transport_cmd_finish_abort(se_cmd))
-			target_put_sess_cmd(se_cmd);
+		target_put_cmd_and_wait(se_cmd);
 
 		printk("ABORT_TASK: Sending TMR_FUNCTION_COMPLETE for"
 				" ref_tag: %llu\n", ref_tag);
@@ -268,14 +272,28 @@ static void core_tmr_drain_tmr_list(
 			(preempt_and_abort_list) ? "Preempt" : "", tmr_p,
 			tmr_p->function, tmr_p->response, cmd->t_state);
 
-		cancel_work_sync(&cmd->work);
-		transport_wait_for_tasks(cmd);
-
-		if (!transport_cmd_finish_abort(cmd))
-			target_put_sess_cmd(cmd);
+		target_put_cmd_and_wait(cmd);
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * core_tmr_drain_state_list() - abort SCSI commands associated with a device
+ *
+ * @dev:       Device for which to abort outstanding SCSI commands.
+ * @prout_cmd: Pointer to the SCSI PREEMPT AND ABORT if this function is called
+ *             to realize the PREEMPT AND ABORT functionality.
+ * @tmr_sess:  Session through which the LUN RESET has been received.
+ * @tas:       Task Aborted Status (TAS) bit from the SCSI control mode page.
+ *             A quote from SPC-4, paragraph "7.5.10 Control mode page":
+ *             "A task aborted status (TAS) bit set to zero specifies that
+ *             aborted commands shall be terminated by the device server
+ *             without any response to the application client. A TAS bit set
+ *             to one specifies that commands aborted by the actions of an I_T
+ *             nexus other than the I_T nexus on which the command was
+ *             received shall be completed with TASK ABORTED status."
+ * @preempt_and_abort_list: For the PREEMPT AND ABORT functionality, a list
+ *             with registrations that will be preempted.
+ */
 static void core_tmr_drain_state_list(
 	struct se_device *dev,
 	struct se_cmd *prout_cmd,
@@ -350,18 +368,7 @@ static void core_tmr_drain_state_list(
 			 cmd->tag, (preempt_and_abort_list) ? "preempt" : "",
 			 cmd->pr_res_key);
 
-		/*
-		 * If the command may be queued onto a workqueue cancel it now.
-		 *
-		 * This is equivalent to removal from the execute queue in the
-		 * loop above, but we do it down here given that
-		 * cancel_work_sync may block.
-		 */
-		cancel_work_sync(&cmd->work);
-		transport_wait_for_tasks(cmd);
-
-		if (!transport_cmd_finish_abort(cmd))
-			target_put_sess_cmd(cmd);
+		target_put_cmd_and_wait(cmd);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/target/target_core_transport.c b/drivers/target/target_core_transport.c
index 1fecd2bb53af..230a46b03925 100644
--- a/drivers/target/target_core_transport.c
+++ b/drivers/target/target_core_transport.c
@@ -710,32 +710,6 @@ static void transport_lun_remove_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd)
 		percpu_ref_put(&lun->lun_ref);
 }
 
-int transport_cmd_finish_abort(struct se_cmd *cmd)
-{
-	bool send_tas = cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_TAS;
-	bool ack_kref = (cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_ACK_KREF);
-	int ret = 0;
-
-	if (send_tas)
-		transport_send_task_abort(cmd);
-
-	if (cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_SE_LUN_CMD)
-		transport_lun_remove_cmd(cmd);
-	/*
-	 * Allow the fabric driver to unmap any resources before
-	 * releasing the descriptor via TFO->release_cmd()
-	 */
-	if (!send_tas)
-		cmd->se_tfo->aborted_task(cmd);
-
-	if (transport_cmd_check_stop_to_fabric(cmd))
-		return 1;
-	if (!send_tas && ack_kref)
-		ret = target_put_sess_cmd(cmd);
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
 static void target_complete_failure_work(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	struct se_cmd *cmd = container_of(work, struct se_cmd, work);
@@ -785,12 +759,76 @@ void transport_copy_sense_to_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd, unsigned char *sense)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(transport_copy_sense_to_cmd);
 
+static void target_handle_abort(struct se_cmd *cmd)
+{
+	bool tas = cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_TAS;
+	bool ack_kref = cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_ACK_KREF;
+	int ret;
+
+	pr_debug("tag %#llx: send_abort_response = %d\n", cmd->tag, tas);
+
+	if (cmd->transport_complete_callback)
+		cmd->transport_complete_callback(cmd, false, NULL);
+
+	if (tas) {
+		if (!(cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_SCSI_TMR_CDB)) {
+			cmd->scsi_status = SAM_STAT_TASK_ABORTED;
+			pr_debug("Setting SAM_STAT_TASK_ABORTED status for CDB: 0x%02x, ITT: 0x%08llx\n",
+				 cmd->t_task_cdb[0], cmd->tag);
+			trace_target_cmd_complete(cmd);
+			ret = cmd->se_tfo->queue_status(cmd);
+			if (ret) {
+				transport_handle_queue_full(cmd, cmd->se_dev,
+							    ret, false);
+				return;
+			}
+		} else {
+			cmd->se_tmr_req->response = TMR_FUNCTION_REJECTED;
+			cmd->se_tfo->queue_tm_rsp(cmd);
+		}
+	} else {
+		/*
+		 * Allow the fabric driver to unmap any resources before
+		 * releasing the descriptor via TFO->release_cmd().
+		 */
+		cmd->se_tfo->aborted_task(cmd);
+		if (ack_kref)
+			WARN_ON_ONCE(target_put_sess_cmd(cmd) != 0);
+		/*
+		 * To do: establish a unit attention condition on the I_T
+		 * nexus associated with cmd. See also the paragraph "Aborting
+		 * commands" in SAM.
+		 */
+	}
+
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(kref_read(&cmd->cmd_kref) == 0);
+
+	transport_lun_remove_cmd(cmd);
+
+	transport_cmd_check_stop_to_fabric(cmd);
+}
+
+static void target_abort_work(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct se_cmd *cmd = container_of(work, struct se_cmd, work);
+
+	target_handle_abort(cmd);
+}
+
+/* May be called from interrupt context so must not sleep. */
 void target_complete_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd, u8 scsi_status)
 {
-	struct se_device *dev = cmd->se_dev;
 	int success;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED) {
+		INIT_WORK(&cmd->work, target_abort_work);
+		goto queue_work;
+	} else if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_STOP) {
+		complete_all(&cmd->t_transport_stop_comp);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	cmd->scsi_status = scsi_status;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
@@ -806,25 +844,7 @@ void target_complete_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd, u8 scsi_status)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Check for case where an explicit ABORT_TASK has been received
-	 * and transport_wait_for_tasks() will be waiting for completion..
-	 */
-	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED ||
-	    cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_STOP) {
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-		/*
-		 * If COMPARE_AND_WRITE was stopped by __transport_wait_for_tasks(),
-		 * release se_device->caw_sem obtained by sbc_compare_and_write()
-		 * since target_complete_ok_work() or target_complete_failure_work()
-		 * won't be called to invoke the normal CAW completion callbacks.
-		 */
-		if (cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_COMPARE_AND_WRITE) {
-			up(&dev->caw_sem);
-		}
-		complete_all(&cmd->t_transport_stop_comp);
-		return;
-	} else if (!success) {
+	if (!success) {
 		INIT_WORK(&cmd->work, target_complete_failure_work);
 	} else {
 		INIT_WORK(&cmd->work, target_complete_ok_work);
@@ -834,6 +854,7 @@ void target_complete_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd, u8 scsi_status)
 	cmd->transport_state |= (CMD_T_COMPLETE | CMD_T_ACTIVE);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
 
+queue_work:
 	if (cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_USE_CPUID)
 		queue_work_on(cmd->cpuid, target_completion_wq, &cmd->work);
 	else
@@ -1804,12 +1825,15 @@ void transport_generic_request_failure(struct se_cmd *cmd,
 	 */
 	transport_complete_task_attr(cmd);
 
+	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED) {
+		INIT_WORK(&cmd->work, target_abort_work);
+		queue_work(target_completion_wq, &cmd->work);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (cmd->transport_complete_callback)
 		cmd->transport_complete_callback(cmd, false, NULL);
 
-	if (transport_check_aborted_status(cmd, 1))
-		return;
-
 	switch (sense_reason) {
 	case TCM_NON_EXISTENT_LUN:
 	case TCM_UNSUPPORTED_SCSI_OPCODE:
@@ -2014,8 +2038,6 @@ static bool target_handle_task_attr(struct se_cmd *cmd)
 	return true;
 }
 
-static int __transport_check_aborted_status(struct se_cmd *, int);
-
 void target_execute_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd)
 {
 	/*
@@ -2024,11 +2046,13 @@ void target_execute_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd)
 	 *
 	 * If the received CDB has already been aborted stop processing it here.
 	 */
-	spin_lock_irq(&cmd->t_state_lock);
-	if (__transport_check_aborted_status(cmd, 1)) {
-		spin_unlock_irq(&cmd->t_state_lock);
+	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED) {
+		INIT_WORK(&cmd->work, target_abort_work);
+		queue_work(target_completion_wq, &cmd->work);
 		return;
 	}
+
+	spin_lock_irq(&cmd->t_state_lock);
 	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_STOP) {
 		pr_debug("%s:%d CMD_T_STOP for ITT: 0x%08llx\n",
 			__func__, __LINE__, cmd->tag);
@@ -2675,7 +2699,7 @@ static void __target_put_cmd_and_wait(struct se_cmd *cmd, bool put)
  * Call target_put_sess_cmd() and wait until target_release_cmd_kref(@cmd) has
  * finished.
  */
-static void target_put_cmd_and_wait(struct se_cmd *cmd)
+void target_put_cmd_and_wait(struct se_cmd *cmd)
 {
 	__target_put_cmd_and_wait(cmd, true);
 }
@@ -2694,10 +2718,13 @@ static void target_wait_for_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd)
  * This function is called by frontend drivers after processing of a command
  * has finished.
  *
- * The protocol for ensuring that either the regular flow or the TMF
- * code drops one reference is as follows:
+ * The protocol for ensuring that either the regular frontend command
+ * processing flow or target_handle_abort() code drops one reference is as
+ * follows:
  * - Calling .queue_data_in(), .queue_status() or queue_tm_rsp() will cause
- *   the frontend driver to drop one reference, synchronously or asynchronously.
+ *   the frontend driver to call this function synchronously or asynchronously.
+ *   Unless CMD_T_ABORTED has been set and CMD_T_TAS has not been set, that will
+ *   cause one reference to be dropped.
  * - During regular command processing the target core sets CMD_T_COMPLETE
  *   before invoking one of the .queue_*() functions.
  * - The code that aborts commands skips commands and TMFs for which
@@ -2709,7 +2736,7 @@ static void target_wait_for_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd)
  * - For aborted commands for which CMD_T_TAS has been set .queue_status() will
  *   be called and will drop a reference.
  * - For aborted commands for which CMD_T_TAS has not been set .aborted_task()
- *   will be called. transport_cmd_finish_abort() will drop the final reference.
+ *   will be called. target_handle_abort() will drop the final reference.
  */
 int transport_generic_free_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd, int wait_for_tasks)
 {
@@ -3293,6 +3320,13 @@ transport_send_check_condition_and_sense(struct se_cmd *cmd,
 {
 	unsigned long flags;
 
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_SCSI_TMR_CDB);
+
+	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED) {
+		target_handle_abort(cmd);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
 	if (cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_SENT_CHECK_CONDITION) {
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
@@ -3309,114 +3343,33 @@ transport_send_check_condition_and_sense(struct se_cmd *cmd,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(transport_send_check_condition_and_sense);
 
-static int __transport_check_aborted_status(struct se_cmd *cmd, int send_status)
-	__releases(&cmd->t_state_lock)
-	__acquires(&cmd->t_state_lock)
-{
-	int ret;
-
-	assert_spin_locked(&cmd->t_state_lock);
-	WARN_ON_ONCE(!irqs_disabled());
-
-	if (!(cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED))
-		return 0;
-	/*
-	 * If cmd has been aborted but either no status is to be sent or it has
-	 * already been sent, just return
-	 */
-	if (!send_status || !(cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_SEND_DELAYED_TAS)) {
-		if (send_status)
-			cmd->se_cmd_flags |= SCF_SEND_DELAYED_TAS;
-		return 1;
-	}
-
-	pr_debug("Sending delayed SAM_STAT_TASK_ABORTED status for CDB:"
-		" 0x%02x ITT: 0x%08llx\n", cmd->t_task_cdb[0], cmd->tag);
-
-	cmd->se_cmd_flags &= ~SCF_SEND_DELAYED_TAS;
-	cmd->scsi_status = SAM_STAT_TASK_ABORTED;
-	trace_target_cmd_complete(cmd);
-
-	spin_unlock_irq(&cmd->t_state_lock);
-	ret = cmd->se_tfo->queue_status(cmd);
-	if (ret)
-		transport_handle_queue_full(cmd, cmd->se_dev, ret, false);
-	spin_lock_irq(&cmd->t_state_lock);
-
-	return 1;
-}
-
+/**
+ * transport_check_aborted_status - return 1 if the command has been aborted
+ * @cmd: SCSI command to check the status of.
+ * @send_status: Ignored.
+ *
+ * Note: if this function is called while SCSI WRITE data frames are being
+ * received, the target driver will call target_execute_cmd() after all WRITE
+ * data frames have been received. That function will check the CMD_T_ABORTED
+ * flag again and will handle the abort. At least for the iSCSI target driver
+ * it is essential that an abort is only processed after all WRITE data frames
+ * have been received.
+ */
 int transport_check_aborted_status(struct se_cmd *cmd, int send_status)
 {
-	int ret;
-
-	spin_lock_irq(&cmd->t_state_lock);
-	ret = __transport_check_aborted_status(cmd, send_status);
-	spin_unlock_irq(&cmd->t_state_lock);
-
-	return ret;
+	return cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(transport_check_aborted_status);
 
-void transport_send_task_abort(struct se_cmd *cmd)
-{
-	unsigned long flags;
-	int ret;
-
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-	if (cmd->se_cmd_flags & (SCF_SENT_CHECK_CONDITION)) {
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-		return;
-	}
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-
-	/*
-	 * If there are still expected incoming fabric WRITEs, we wait
-	 * until until they have completed before sending a TASK_ABORTED
-	 * response.  This response with TASK_ABORTED status will be
-	 * queued back to fabric module by transport_check_aborted_status().
-	 */
-	if (cmd->data_direction == DMA_TO_DEVICE) {
-		if (cmd->se_tfo->write_pending_status(cmd) != 0) {
-			spin_lock_irqsave(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-			if (cmd->se_cmd_flags & SCF_SEND_DELAYED_TAS) {
-				spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-				goto send_abort;
-			}
-			cmd->se_cmd_flags |= SCF_SEND_DELAYED_TAS;
-			spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-			return;
-		}
-	}
-send_abort:
-	cmd->scsi_status = SAM_STAT_TASK_ABORTED;
-
-	transport_lun_remove_cmd(cmd);
-
-	pr_debug("Setting SAM_STAT_TASK_ABORTED status for CDB: 0x%02x, ITT: 0x%08llx\n",
-		 cmd->t_task_cdb[0], cmd->tag);
-
-	trace_target_cmd_complete(cmd);
-	ret = cmd->se_tfo->queue_status(cmd);
-	if (ret)
-		transport_handle_queue_full(cmd, cmd->se_dev, ret, false);
-}
-
 static void target_tmr_work(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	struct se_cmd *cmd = container_of(work, struct se_cmd, work);
 	struct se_device *dev = cmd->se_dev;
 	struct se_tmr_req *tmr = cmd->se_tmr_req;
-	unsigned long flags;
 	int ret;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED) {
-		tmr->response = TMR_FUNCTION_REJECTED;
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-		goto check_stop;
-	}
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
+	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED)
+		goto aborted;
 
 	switch (tmr->function) {
 	case TMR_ABORT_TASK:
@@ -3450,44 +3403,35 @@ static void target_tmr_work(struct work_struct *work)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED) {
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-		goto check_stop;
-	}
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
+	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED)
+		goto aborted;
 
 	cmd->se_tfo->queue_tm_rsp(cmd);
 
-check_stop:
-	transport_lun_remove_cmd(cmd);
 	transport_cmd_check_stop_to_fabric(cmd);
+	return;
+
+aborted:
+	target_handle_abort(cmd);
 }
 
-int transport_generic_handle_tmr(
-	struct se_cmd *cmd)
+int transport_generic_handle_tmr(struct se_cmd *cmd)
 {
 	unsigned long flags;
-	bool aborted = false;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
 	if (cmd->transport_state & CMD_T_ABORTED) {
-		aborted = true;
-	} else {
-		cmd->t_state = TRANSPORT_ISTATE_PROCESSING;
-		cmd->transport_state |= CMD_T_ACTIVE;
-	}
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
-
-	if (aborted) {
-		pr_warn_ratelimited("handle_tmr caught CMD_T_ABORTED TMR %d"
-			"ref_tag: %llu tag: %llu\n", cmd->se_tmr_req->function,
-			cmd->se_tmr_req->ref_task_tag, cmd->tag);
-		transport_lun_remove_cmd(cmd);
-		transport_cmd_check_stop_to_fabric(cmd);
+		pr_warn_ratelimited("handle_tmr caught CMD_T_ABORTED TMR %d ref_tag: %llu tag: %llu\n",
+				    cmd->se_tmr_req->function,
+				    cmd->se_tmr_req->ref_task_tag, cmd->tag);
+		target_handle_abort(cmd);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
+	cmd->t_state = TRANSPORT_ISTATE_PROCESSING;
+	cmd->transport_state |= CMD_T_ACTIVE;
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cmd->t_state_lock, flags);
+
 	INIT_WORK(&cmd->work, target_tmr_work);
 	schedule_work(&cmd->work);
 	return 0;
diff --git a/include/target/target_core_base.h b/include/target/target_core_base.h
index d93ec20710c2..833567125905 100644
--- a/include/target/target_core_base.h
+++ b/include/target/target_core_base.h
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ enum se_cmd_flags_table {
 	SCF_SENT_CHECK_CONDITION	= 0x00000800,
 	SCF_OVERFLOW_BIT		= 0x00001000,
 	SCF_UNDERFLOW_BIT		= 0x00002000,
-	SCF_SEND_DELAYED_TAS		= 0x00004000,
 	SCF_ALUA_NON_OPTIMIZED		= 0x00008000,
 	SCF_PASSTHROUGH_SG_TO_MEM_NOALLOC = 0x00020000,
 	SCF_COMPARE_AND_WRITE		= 0x00080000,
diff --git a/include/target/target_core_fabric.h b/include/target/target_core_fabric.h
index eb9d0923c55c..792149993859 100644
--- a/include/target/target_core_fabric.h
+++ b/include/target/target_core_fabric.h
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ int	target_submit_tmr(struct se_cmd *se_cmd, struct se_session *se_sess,
 int	transport_handle_cdb_direct(struct se_cmd *);
 sense_reason_t	transport_generic_new_cmd(struct se_cmd *);
 
+void	target_put_cmd_and_wait(struct se_cmd *cmd);
 void	target_execute_cmd(struct se_cmd *cmd);
 
 int	transport_generic_free_cmd(struct se_cmd *, int);
