diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_nvm.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_nvm.c
index 6100cdd..79c0053 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_nvm.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_nvm.c
@@ -212,6 +212,24 @@ read_nvm_exit:
 }
 
 /**
+ * __i40e_read_nvm_word - Reads nvm word, assumes caller does the locking
+ * @hw: pointer to the HW structure
+ * @offset: offset of the Shadow RAM word to read (0x000000 - 0x001FFF)
+ * @data: word read from the Shadow RAM
+ *
+ * Reads one 16 bit word from the Shadow RAM using the GLNVM_SRCTL register.
+ **/
+static i40e_status __i40e_read_nvm_word(struct i40e_hw *hw,
+					u16 offset,
+					u16 *data)
+{
+	i40e_status ret_code = 0;
+
+	ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word_srctl(hw, offset, data);
+	return ret_code;
+}
+
+/**
  * i40e_read_nvm_aq - Read Shadow RAM.
  * @hw: pointer to the HW structure.
  * @module_pointer: module pointer location in words from the NVM beginning
@@ -280,7 +298,7 @@ static i40e_status i40e_read_nvm_word_aq(struct i40e_hw *hw, u16 offset,
 }
 
 /**
- * i40e_read_nvm_word - Reads Shadow RAM
+ * i40e_read_nvm_word - Reads nvm word and acquire lock if necessary
  * @hw: pointer to the HW structure
  * @offset: offset of the Shadow RAM word to read (0x000000 - 0x001FFF)
  * @data: word read from the Shadow RAM
@@ -393,7 +411,28 @@ read_nvm_buffer_aq_exit:
 }
 
 /**
- * i40e_read_nvm_buffer - Reads Shadow RAM buffer
+ * __i40e_read_nvm_buffer - Reads nvm buffer, caller must acquire lock
+ * @hw: pointer to the HW structure
+ * @offset: offset of the Shadow RAM word to read (0x000000 - 0x001FFF).
+ * @words: (in) number of words to read; (out) number of words actually read
+ * @data: words read from the Shadow RAM
+ *
+ * Reads 16 bit words (data buffer) from the SR using the i40e_read_nvm_srrd()
+ * method. The buffer read is preceded by the NVM ownership take
+ * and followed by the release.
+ **/
+static i40e_status __i40e_read_nvm_buffer(struct i40e_hw *hw,
+					  u16 offset,
+					  u16 *words, u16 *data)
+{
+	i40e_status ret_code = 0;
+
+	ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_buffer_srctl(hw, offset, words, data);
+	return ret_code;
+}
+
+/**
+ * i40e_read_nvm_buffer - Reads Shadow RAM buffer and acuire lock if necessary
  * @hw: pointer to the HW structure
  * @offset: offset of the Shadow RAM word to read (0x000000 - 0x001FFF).
  * @words: (in) number of words to read; (out) number of words actually read
@@ -499,15 +538,17 @@ static i40e_status i40e_calc_nvm_checksum(struct i40e_hw *hw,
 	data = (u16 *)vmem.va;
 
 	/* read pointer to VPD area */
-	ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, I40E_SR_VPD_PTR, &vpd_module);
+	ret_code = __i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, I40E_SR_VPD_PTR,
+					&vpd_module);
 	if (ret_code) {
 		ret_code = I40E_ERR_NVM_CHECKSUM;
 		goto i40e_calc_nvm_checksum_exit;
 	}
 
 	/* read pointer to PCIe Alt Auto-load module */
-	ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, I40E_SR_PCIE_ALT_AUTO_LOAD_PTR,
-				      &pcie_alt_module);
+	ret_code = __i40e_read_nvm_word(hw,
+					I40E_SR_PCIE_ALT_AUTO_LOAD_PTR,
+					&pcie_alt_module);
 	if (ret_code) {
 		ret_code = I40E_ERR_NVM_CHECKSUM;
 		goto i40e_calc_nvm_checksum_exit;
@@ -521,7 +562,7 @@ static i40e_status i40e_calc_nvm_checksum(struct i40e_hw *hw,
 		if ((i % I40E_SR_SECTOR_SIZE_IN_WORDS) == 0) {
 			u16 words = I40E_SR_SECTOR_SIZE_IN_WORDS;
 
-			ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_buffer(hw, i, &words, data);
+			ret_code = __i40e_read_nvm_buffer(hw, i, &words, data);
 			if (ret_code) {
 				ret_code = I40E_ERR_NVM_CHECKSUM;
 				goto i40e_calc_nvm_checksum_exit;
@@ -593,13 +634,18 @@ i40e_status i40e_validate_nvm_checksum(struct i40e_hw *hw,
 	u16 checksum_sr = 0;
 	u16 checksum_local = 0;
 
-	ret_code = i40e_calc_nvm_checksum(hw, &checksum_local);
-	if (ret_code)
+	if (hw->flags & I40E_HW_FLAG_AQ_SRCTL_ACCESS_ENABLE)
+		ret_code = i40e_acquire_nvm(hw, I40E_RESOURCE_READ);
+	if (!ret_code) {
+		ret_code = i40e_calc_nvm_checksum(hw, &checksum_local);
+		if (hw->flags & I40E_HW_FLAG_AQ_SRCTL_ACCESS_ENABLE)
+			i40e_release_nvm(hw);
+		if (ret_code)
+			goto i40e_validate_nvm_checksum_exit;
+	} else {
 		goto i40e_validate_nvm_checksum_exit;
+	}
 
-	/* Do not use i40e_read_nvm_word() because we do not want to take
-	 * the synchronization semaphores twice here.
-	 */
 	i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, I40E_SR_SW_CHECKSUM_WORD, &checksum_sr);
 
 	/* Verify read checksum from EEPROM is the same as
@@ -958,6 +1004,7 @@ retry:
 		break;
 
 	case I40E_NVMUPD_CSUM_CON:
+		/* Assumes the caller has acquired the nvm */
 		status = i40e_update_nvm_checksum(hw);
 		if (status) {
 			*perrno = hw->aq.asq_last_status ?
@@ -971,6 +1018,7 @@ retry:
 		break;
 
 	case I40E_NVMUPD_CSUM_LCB:
+		/* Assumes the caller has acquired the nvm */
 		status = i40e_update_nvm_checksum(hw);
 		if (status) {
 			*perrno = hw->aq.asq_last_status ?
