diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qlcnic/qlcnic_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qlcnic/qlcnic_main.c
index dbf75393f758..0bc914859e38 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qlcnic/qlcnic_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qlcnic/qlcnic_main.c
@@ -2374,6 +2374,14 @@ void qlcnic_set_drv_version(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
 		qlcnic_fw_cmd_set_drv_version(adapter, fw_cmd);
 }
 
+/* Reset firmware API lock */
+static void qlcnic_reset_api_lock(struct qlcnic_adapter *adapter)
+{
+	qlcnic_api_lock(adapter);
+	qlcnic_api_unlock(adapter);
+}
+
+
 static int
 qlcnic_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 {
@@ -2476,6 +2484,7 @@ qlcnic_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *ent)
 	if (qlcnic_82xx_check(adapter)) {
 		qlcnic_check_vf(adapter, ent);
 		adapter->portnum = adapter->ahw->pci_func;
+		qlcnic_reset_api_lock(adapter);
 		err = qlcnic_start_firmware(adapter);
 		if (err) {
 			dev_err(&pdev->dev, "Loading fw failed.Please Reboot\n"