diff --git a/drivers/mmc/core/queue.c b/drivers/mmc/core/queue.c
index 50b3be678716c2..cc96338f6f56e9 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/core/queue.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/core/queue.c
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ static blk_status_t mmc_mq_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 	enum mmc_issued issued;
 	bool get_card, cqe_retune_ok;
 	blk_status_t ret;
+	bool write;
 
 	if (mmc_card_removed(mq->card)) {
 		req->rq_flags |= RQF_QUIET;
@@ -250,6 +251,7 @@ static blk_status_t mmc_mq_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 	}
 
 	issue_type = mmc_issue_type(mq, req);
+	write = req_op(req) == REQ_OP_WRITE;
 
 	spin_lock_irq(&mq->lock);
 
@@ -271,7 +273,7 @@ static blk_status_t mmc_mq_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 			spin_unlock_irq(&mq->lock);
 			return BLK_STS_RESOURCE;
 		}
-		if (!host->hsq_enabled && host->cqe_enabled && req_op(req) == REQ_OP_WRITE &&
+		if (!host->hsq_enabled && host->cqe_enabled && write &&
 		    mq->pending_writes >= card->max_posted_writes) {
 			spin_unlock_irq(&mq->lock);
 			return BLK_STS_RESOURCE;
@@ -292,7 +294,7 @@ static blk_status_t mmc_mq_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 	/* Parallel dispatch of requests is not supported at the moment */
 	mq->busy = true;
 
-	if (req_op(req) == REQ_OP_WRITE)
+	if (write)
 		mq->pending_writes++;
 	mq->in_flight[issue_type] += 1;
 	get_card = (mmc_tot_in_flight(mq) == 1);
@@ -333,7 +335,7 @@ static blk_status_t mmc_mq_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 		bool put_card = false;
 
 		spin_lock_irq(&mq->lock);
-		if (req_op(req) == REQ_OP_WRITE)
+		if (write)
 			mq->pending_writes--;
 		mq->in_flight[issue_type] -= 1;
 		if (mmc_tot_in_flight(mq) == 0)
@@ -345,6 +347,7 @@ static blk_status_t mmc_mq_queue_rq(struct blk_mq_hw_ctx *hctx,
 	} else {
 		WRITE_ONCE(mq->busy, false);
 	}
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(mq->pending_writes < 0);
 
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/mmc/card.h b/include/linux/mmc/card.h
index 9793031b4b57d9..534b529cd4c671 100644
--- a/include/linux/mmc/card.h
+++ b/include/linux/mmc/card.h
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ struct mmc_card {
 
 	struct workqueue_struct *complete_wq;	/* Private workqueue */
 
-	unsigned int		max_posted_writes; /* command queue posted write limit */
+	int			max_posted_writes; /* command queue posted write limit */
 };
 
 static inline bool mmc_large_sector(struct mmc_card *card)