diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/tx.c b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/tx.c
index 59caf1e4b158..b5a028abe4c6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/tx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/carl9170/tx.c
@@ -514,8 +514,9 @@ static struct sk_buff *carl9170_get_queued_skb(struct ar9170 *ar, u8 cookie,
 					       struct sk_buff_head *queue)
 {
 	struct sk_buff *skb;
+	unsigned long flags;
 
-	spin_lock_bh(&queue->lock);
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&queue->lock, flags);
 	skb_queue_walk(queue, skb) {
 		struct _carl9170_tx_superframe *txc = (void *) skb->data;
 
@@ -523,12 +524,12 @@ static struct sk_buff *carl9170_get_queued_skb(struct ar9170 *ar, u8 cookie,
 			continue;
 
 		__skb_unlink(skb, queue);
-		spin_unlock_bh(&queue->lock);
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&queue->lock, flags);
 
 		carl9170_release_dev_space(ar, skb);
 		return skb;
 	}
-	spin_unlock_bh(&queue->lock);
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&queue->lock, flags);
 
 	return NULL;
 }