diff --git a/sys/dev/qlxgbe/ql_os.c b/sys/dev/qlxgbe/ql_os.c
index b9b53ecd90a1..d4a18270dd0c 100644
--- a/sys/dev/qlxgbe/ql_os.c
+++ b/sys/dev/qlxgbe/ql_os.c
@@ -1519,8 +1519,11 @@ qla_stop(qla_host_t *ha)
 
 	ha->flags.qla_watchdog_pause = 1;
 
-	while (!ha->qla_watchdog_paused)
+	while (!ha->qla_watchdog_paused) {
+		QLA_UNLOCK(ha);
 		qla_mdelay(__func__, 1);
+		QLA_LOCK(ha);
+	}
 
 	ha->flags.qla_interface_up = 0;
 
@@ -1915,7 +1918,10 @@ qla_error_recovery(void *context, int pending)
 	if (ha->flags.qla_interface_up) {
 
 		ha->hw.imd_compl = 1;
+
+		QLA_UNLOCK(ha);
 		qla_mdelay(__func__, 300);
+		QLA_LOCK(ha);
 
 	        ifp->if_drv_flags &= ~(IFF_DRV_OACTIVE | IFF_DRV_RUNNING);