diff --git a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_init.c b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_init.c
index 9ef9f58f84d..1b621ca13e2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/qlcnic/qlcnic_init.c
@@ -1554,9 +1554,10 @@ qlcnic_post_rx_buffers(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter, u32 ringid,
 	int producer, count = 0;
 	struct list_head *head;
 
+	spin_lock(&rds_ring->lock);
+
 	producer = rds_ring->producer;
 
-	spin_lock(&rds_ring->lock);
 	head = &rds_ring->free_list;
 	while (!list_empty(head)) {
 
@@ -1578,13 +1579,13 @@ qlcnic_post_rx_buffers(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter, u32 ringid,
 
 		producer = get_next_index(producer, rds_ring->num_desc);
 	}
-	spin_unlock(&rds_ring->lock);
 
 	if (count) {
 		rds_ring->producer = producer;
 		writel((producer-1) & (rds_ring->num_desc-1),
 				rds_ring->crb_rcv_producer);
 	}
+	spin_unlock(&rds_ring->lock);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1596,10 +1597,11 @@ qlcnic_post_rx_buffers_nodb(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter,
 	int producer, count = 0;
 	struct list_head *head;
 
-	producer = rds_ring->producer;
 	if (!spin_trylock(&rds_ring->lock))
 		return;
 
+	producer = rds_ring->producer;
+
 	head = &rds_ring->free_list;
 	while (!list_empty(head)) {