diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8851_mll.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8851_mll.c
index 799154d7c047..c699a779757e 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8851_mll.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ks8851_mll.c
@@ -831,14 +831,17 @@ static irqreturn_t ks_irq(int irq, void *pw)
 {
 	struct net_device *netdev = pw;
 	struct ks_net *ks = netdev_priv(netdev);
+	unsigned long flags;
 	u16 status;
 
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&ks->statelock, flags);
 	/*this should be the first in IRQ handler */
 	ks_save_cmd_reg(ks);
 
 	status = ks_rdreg16(ks, KS_ISR);
 	if (unlikely(!status)) {
 		ks_restore_cmd_reg(ks);
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ks->statelock, flags);
 		return IRQ_NONE;
 	}
 
@@ -864,6 +867,7 @@ static irqreturn_t ks_irq(int irq, void *pw)
 		ks->netdev->stats.rx_over_errors++;
 	/* this should be the last in IRQ handler*/
 	ks_restore_cmd_reg(ks);
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ks->statelock, flags);
 	return IRQ_HANDLED;
 }
 
@@ -933,6 +937,7 @@ static int ks_net_stop(struct net_device *netdev)
 
 	/* shutdown RX/TX QMU */
 	ks_disable_qmu(ks);
+	ks_disable_int(ks);
 
 	/* set powermode to soft power down to save power */
 	ks_set_powermode(ks, PMECR_PM_SOFTDOWN);
@@ -989,10 +994,9 @@ static netdev_tx_t ks_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *netdev)
 {
 	netdev_tx_t retv = NETDEV_TX_OK;
 	struct ks_net *ks = netdev_priv(netdev);
+	unsigned long flags;
 
-	disable_irq(netdev->irq);
-	ks_disable_int(ks);
-	spin_lock(&ks->statelock);
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&ks->statelock, flags);
 
 	/* Extra space are required:
 	*  4 byte for alignment, 4 for status/length, 4 for CRC
@@ -1006,9 +1010,7 @@ static netdev_tx_t ks_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *netdev)
 		dev_kfree_skb(skb);
 	} else
 		retv = NETDEV_TX_BUSY;
-	spin_unlock(&ks->statelock);
-	ks_enable_int(ks);
-	enable_irq(netdev->irq);
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&ks->statelock, flags);
 	return retv;
 }