diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla4xxx/ql4_def.h b/drivers/scsi/qla4xxx/ql4_def.h
index f5b382ed0a1b..921054748388 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla4xxx/ql4_def.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla4xxx/ql4_def.h
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ struct isp_operations {
 	void (*wr_reg_direct) (struct scsi_qla_host *, ulong, uint32_t);
 	int (*rd_reg_indirect) (struct scsi_qla_host *, uint32_t, uint32_t *);
 	int (*wr_reg_indirect) (struct scsi_qla_host *, uint32_t, uint32_t);
-	int (*idc_lock) (struct scsi_qla_host *);
+	int (*idc_lock) (struct scsi_qla_host *); /* Context: task, can sleep */
 	void (*idc_unlock) (struct scsi_qla_host *);
 	void (*rom_lock_recovery) (struct scsi_qla_host *);
 	void (*queue_mailbox_command) (struct scsi_qla_host *, uint32_t *, int);
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla4xxx/ql4_nx.c b/drivers/scsi/qla4xxx/ql4_nx.c
index da903a545b2c..4362d0ebe0e1 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla4xxx/ql4_nx.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla4xxx/ql4_nx.c
@@ -512,12 +512,15 @@ int qla4_82xx_md_wr_32(struct scsi_qla_host *ha, uint32_t off, uint32_t data)
  *
  * General purpose lock used to synchronize access to
  * CRB_DEV_STATE, CRB_DEV_REF_COUNT, etc.
+ *
+ * Context: task, can sleep
  **/
 int qla4_82xx_idc_lock(struct scsi_qla_host *ha)
 {
-	int i;
 	int done = 0, timeout = 0;
 
+	might_sleep();
+
 	while (!done) {
 		/* acquire semaphore5 from PCI HW block */
 		done = qla4_82xx_rd_32(ha, QLA82XX_PCIE_REG(PCIE_SEM5_LOCK));
@@ -527,14 +530,7 @@ int qla4_82xx_idc_lock(struct scsi_qla_host *ha)
 			return -1;
 
 		timeout++;
-
-		/* Yield CPU */
-		if (!in_interrupt())
-			schedule();
-		else {
-			for (i = 0; i < 20; i++)
-				cpu_relax();    /*This a nop instr on i386*/
-		}
+		msleep(100);
 	}
 	return 0;
 }