diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qlcnic/qlcnic_sriov_pf.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qlcnic/qlcnic_sriov_pf.c
index 330d9a8774ad69a1d6d8e4d4f38aa87e243bf699..686f460b15022b4b2b7759ad29493a64a1f84592 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qlcnic/qlcnic_sriov_pf.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qlcnic/qlcnic_sriov_pf.c
@@ -397,6 +397,7 @@ static int qlcnic_pci_sriov_disable(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 {
 	struct net_device *netdev = adapter->netdev;
 
+	rtnl_lock();
 	if (netif_running(netdev))
 		__qlcnic_down(adapter, netdev);
 
@@ -407,12 +408,15 @@ static int qlcnic_pci_sriov_disable(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 	/* After disabling SRIOV re-init the driver in default mode
 	   configure opmode based on op_mode of function
 	 */
-	if (qlcnic_83xx_configure_opmode(adapter))
+	if (qlcnic_83xx_configure_opmode(adapter)) {
+		rtnl_unlock();
 		return -EIO;
+	}
 
 	if (netif_running(netdev))
 		__qlcnic_up(adapter, netdev);
 
+	rtnl_unlock();
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -533,6 +537,7 @@ static int qlcnic_pci_sriov_enable(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter, int num_vfs)
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
+	rtnl_lock();
 	if (netif_running(netdev))
 		__qlcnic_down(adapter, netdev);
 
@@ -555,6 +560,7 @@ static int qlcnic_pci_sriov_enable(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter, int num_vfs)
 		__qlcnic_up(adapter, netdev);
 
 error:
+	rtnl_unlock();
 	return err;
 }