diff --git a/lustre/lov/lov_obd.c b/lustre/lov/lov_obd.c
index 4ccc2b7c0da578a09d4bb6accd4b59190af9f689..b9c42313fe3aea871c9eff9ca761022aa9ce4c76 100644
--- a/lustre/lov/lov_obd.c
+++ b/lustre/lov/lov_obd.c
@@ -828,8 +828,7 @@ static int lov_cleanup(struct obd_device *obd)
 				continue;
 
 			/* Inactive targets may never have connected */
-			if (lov->lov_tgts[i]->ltd_active ||
-			    atomic_read(&lov->lov_refcount))
+			if (lov->lov_tgts[i]->ltd_active)
 				/* We should never get here - these
 				 * should have been removed in the
 				 * disconnect. */