diff --git a/arch/arm/common/sa1111.c b/arch/arm/common/sa1111.c
index a52a27c..6f80665 100644
--- a/arch/arm/common/sa1111.c
+++ b/arch/arm/common/sa1111.c
@@ -951,8 +951,6 @@
 	if (!save)
 		return 0;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&sachip->lock, flags);
-
 	/*
 	 * Ensure that the SA1111 is still here.
 	 * FIXME: shouldn't do this here.
@@ -969,6 +967,13 @@
 	 * First of all, wake up the chip.
 	 */
 	sa1111_wake(sachip);
+
+	/*
+	 * Only lock for write ops. Also, sa1111_wake must be called with
+	 * released spinlock!
+	 */
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&sachip->lock, flags);
+
 	sa1111_writel(0, sachip->base + SA1111_INTC + SA1111_INTEN0);
 	sa1111_writel(0, sachip->base + SA1111_INTC + SA1111_INTEN1);