diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/rx.c b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/rx.c
index e58a50d31d96..c21f8bd32d08 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/rx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/rx.c
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ static void iwl_pcie_rx_allocator(struct iwl_trans *trans)
 	struct iwl_trans_pcie *trans_pcie = IWL_TRANS_GET_PCIE_TRANS(trans);
 	struct iwl_rb_allocator *rba = &trans_pcie->rba;
 	struct list_head local_empty;
-	int pending = atomic_xchg(&rba->req_pending, 0);
+	int pending = atomic_read(&rba->req_pending);
 
 	IWL_DEBUG_RX(trans, "Pending allocation requests = %d\n", pending);
 
@@ -530,11 +530,13 @@ static void iwl_pcie_rx_allocator(struct iwl_trans *trans)
 			i++;
 		}
 
+		atomic_dec(&rba->req_pending);
 		pending--;
+
 		if (!pending) {
-			pending = atomic_xchg(&rba->req_pending, 0);
+			pending = atomic_read(&rba->req_pending);
 			IWL_DEBUG_RX(trans,
-				     "Pending allocation requests = %d\n",
+				     "Got more pending allocation requests = %d\n",
 				     pending);
 		}
 
@@ -546,12 +548,15 @@ static void iwl_pcie_rx_allocator(struct iwl_trans *trans)
 		spin_unlock(&rba->lock);
 
 		atomic_inc(&rba->req_ready);
+
 	}
 
 	spin_lock(&rba->lock);
 	/* return unused rbds to the allocator empty list */
 	list_splice_tail(&local_empty, &rba->rbd_empty);
 	spin_unlock(&rba->lock);
+
+	IWL_DEBUG_RX(trans, "%s, exit.\n", __func__);
 }
 
 /*