diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla1280.c b/drivers/scsi/qla1280.c
index 8371d917a9a2..49ac4148493b 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla1280.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla1280.c
@@ -1640,8 +1640,10 @@ qla1280_load_firmware_pio(struct scsi_qla_host *ha)
 	uint16_t mb[MAILBOX_REGISTER_COUNT], i;
 	int err;
 
+	spin_unlock_irq(ha->host->host_lock);
 	err = request_firmware(&fw, ql1280_board_tbl[ha->devnum].fwname,
 			       &ha->pdev->dev);
+	spin_lock_irq(ha->host->host_lock);
 	if (err) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "Failed to load image \"%s\" err %d\n",
 		       ql1280_board_tbl[ha->devnum].fwname, err);
@@ -1699,8 +1701,10 @@ qla1280_load_firmware_dma(struct scsi_qla_host *ha)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 #endif
 
+	spin_unlock_irq(ha->host->host_lock);
 	err = request_firmware(&fw, ql1280_board_tbl[ha->devnum].fwname,
 			       &ha->pdev->dev);
+	spin_lock_irq(ha->host->host_lock);
 	if (err) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "Failed to load image \"%s\" err %d\n",
 		       ql1280_board_tbl[ha->devnum].fwname, err);