diff --git a/drivers/net/declance.c b/drivers/net/declance.c
index b62405a69180..2b22e580c4de 100644
--- a/drivers/net/declance.c
+++ b/drivers/net/declance.c
@@ -895,6 +895,7 @@ static int lance_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	struct lance_private *lp = netdev_priv(dev);
 	volatile struct lance_regs *ll = lp->ll;
 	volatile u16 *ib = (volatile u16 *)dev->mem_start;
+	unsigned long flags;
 	int entry, len;
 
 	len = skb->len;
@@ -907,6 +908,8 @@ static int lance_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 
 	dev->stats.tx_bytes += len;
 
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&lp->lock, flags);
+
 	entry = lp->tx_new;
 	*lib_ptr(ib, btx_ring[entry].length, lp->type) = (-len);
 	*lib_ptr(ib, btx_ring[entry].misc, lp->type) = 0;
@@ -925,6 +928,8 @@ static int lance_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 	/* Kick the lance: transmit now */
 	writereg(&ll->rdp, LE_C0_INEA | LE_C0_TDMD);
 
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&lp->lock, flags);
+
 	dev->trans_start = jiffies;
 	dev_kfree_skb(skb);