diff --git a/lib/iscsi/conn.c b/lib/iscsi/conn.c
index 97314a59c..a63e4355c 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/conn.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/conn.c
@@ -331,11 +331,10 @@ _iscsi_conn_free_tasks(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn, struct spdk_scsi_lun *lun)
 	}
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(pdu, &conn->snack_pdu_list, tailq, tmp_pdu) {
-		TAILQ_REMOVE(&conn->snack_pdu_list, pdu, tailq);
-		if (pdu->task && (lun == NULL || lun == pdu->task->scsi.lun)) {
-			spdk_iscsi_task_put(pdu->task);
+		if (lun == NULL || lun == pdu->task->scsi.lun) {
+			TAILQ_REMOVE(&conn->snack_pdu_list, pdu, tailq);
+			spdk_iscsi_conn_free_pdu(conn, pdu);
 		}
-		spdk_put_pdu(pdu);
 	}
 
 	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(iscsi_task, &conn->queued_datain_tasks, link, tmp_iscsi_task) {
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c b/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
index 08e0a4206..dcf65dc5c 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
@@ -2698,10 +2698,7 @@ iscsi_send_r2t_recovery(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn,
 				task->next_expected_r2t_offset));
 
 		/* remove the old_r2t_pdu */
-		if (pdu->task) {
-			spdk_iscsi_task_put(pdu->task);
-		}
-		spdk_put_pdu(pdu);
+		spdk_iscsi_conn_free_pdu(conn, pdu);
 
 		/* re-send a new r2t pdu */
 		rc = iscsi_send_r2t(conn, task, task->next_expected_r2t_offset,
@@ -4260,10 +4257,7 @@ iscsi_handle_data_ack(struct spdk_iscsi_conn *conn, struct spdk_iscsi_pdu *pdu)
 			if ((from_be32(&datain_header->ttt) == transfer_tag) &&
 			    (old_datasn == beg_run - 1)) {
 				TAILQ_REMOVE(&conn->snack_pdu_list, old_pdu, tailq);
-				if (old_pdu->task) {
-					spdk_iscsi_task_put(old_pdu->task);
-				}
-				spdk_put_pdu(old_pdu);
+				spdk_iscsi_conn_free_pdu(conn, old_pdu);
 				break;
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/iscsi/conn.c/conn_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/iscsi/conn.c/conn_ut.c
index c4cf65578..1887b1aa4 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/iscsi/conn.c/conn_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/iscsi/conn.c/conn_ut.c
@@ -536,7 +536,6 @@ free_tasks_on_connection(void)
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu1, tailq);
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu2, tailq);
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu3, tailq);
-	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu4, tailq);
 
 	/* Free all PDUs and associated tasks when exiting connection. */
 	_iscsi_conn_free_tasks(&conn, NULL);
@@ -544,7 +543,6 @@ free_tasks_on_connection(void)
 	CU_ASSERT(!dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu1));
 	CU_ASSERT(!dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu2));
 	CU_ASSERT(!dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu3));
-	CU_ASSERT(!dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu4));
 	CU_ASSERT(task1.scsi.ref == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(task2.scsi.ref == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(task3.scsi.ref == 0);
@@ -555,15 +553,13 @@ free_tasks_on_connection(void)
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu1, tailq);
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu2, tailq);
 	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu3, tailq);
-	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu4, tailq);
 
 	/* Free all PDUs and free associated tasks whose lun matches the passed LUN. */
 	_iscsi_conn_free_tasks(&conn, &lun1);
 
 	CU_ASSERT(!dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu1));
-	CU_ASSERT(!dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu2));
-	CU_ASSERT(!dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu3));
-	CU_ASSERT(!dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu4));
+	CU_ASSERT(dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu2));
+	CU_ASSERT(dequeue_pdu(&conn.snack_pdu_list, &pdu3));
 	CU_ASSERT(task1.scsi.ref == 0);
 	CU_ASSERT(task2.scsi.ref == 1);
 	CU_ASSERT(task3.scsi.ref == 1);