diff --git a/drivers/leds/leds-pca963x.c b/drivers/leds/leds-pca963x.c
index 41f269f..407eba1 100644
--- a/drivers/leds/leds-pca963x.c
+++ b/drivers/leds/leds-pca963x.c
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 #include <linux/leds.h>
 #include <linux/err.h>
 #include <linux/i2c.h>
-#include <linux/workqueue.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/of.h>
 #include <linux/platform_data/leds-pca963x.h>
@@ -96,11 +95,6 @@
 };
 MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE(i2c, pca963x_id);
 
-enum pca963x_cmd {
-	BRIGHTNESS_SET,
-	BLINK_SET,
-};
-
 struct pca963x_led;
 
 struct pca963x {
@@ -112,47 +106,52 @@
 
 struct pca963x_led {
 	struct pca963x *chip;
-	struct work_struct work;
-	enum led_brightness brightness;
 	struct led_classdev led_cdev;
 	int led_num; /* 0 .. 15 potentially */
-	enum pca963x_cmd cmd;
 	char name[32];
 	u8 gdc;
 	u8 gfrq;
 };
 
-static void pca963x_brightness_work(struct pca963x_led *pca963x)
+static int pca963x_brightness(struct pca963x_led *pca963x,
+			       enum led_brightness brightness)
 {
 	u8 ledout_addr = pca963x->chip->chipdef->ledout_base
 		+ (pca963x->led_num / 4);
 	u8 ledout;
 	int shift = 2 * (pca963x->led_num % 4);
 	u8 mask = 0x3 << shift;
+	int ret;
 
 	mutex_lock(&pca963x->chip->mutex);
 	ledout = i2c_smbus_read_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client, ledout_addr);
-	switch (pca963x->brightness) {
+	switch (brightness) {
 	case LED_FULL:
-		i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client, ledout_addr,
+		ret = i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client,
+			ledout_addr,
 			(ledout & ~mask) | (PCA963X_LED_ON << shift));
 		break;
 	case LED_OFF:
-		i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client, ledout_addr,
-			ledout & ~mask);
+		ret = i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client,
+			ledout_addr, ledout & ~mask);
 		break;
 	default:
-		i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client,
+		ret = i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client,
 			PCA963X_PWM_BASE + pca963x->led_num,
-			pca963x->brightness);
-		i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client, ledout_addr,
+			brightness);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto unlock;
+		ret = i2c_smbus_write_byte_data(pca963x->chip->client,
+			ledout_addr,
 			(ledout & ~mask) | (PCA963X_LED_PWM << shift));
 		break;
 	}
+unlock:
 	mutex_unlock(&pca963x->chip->mutex);
+	return ret;
 }
 
-static void pca963x_blink_work(struct pca963x_led *pca963x)
+static void pca963x_blink(struct pca963x_led *pca963x)
 {
 	u8 ledout_addr = pca963x->chip->chipdef->ledout_base +
 		(pca963x->led_num / 4);
@@ -180,36 +179,14 @@
 	mutex_unlock(&pca963x->chip->mutex);
 }
 
-static void pca963x_work(struct work_struct *work)
-{
-	struct pca963x_led *pca963x = container_of(work,
-		struct pca963x_led, work);
-
-	switch (pca963x->cmd) {
-	case BRIGHTNESS_SET:
-		pca963x_brightness_work(pca963x);
-		break;
-	case BLINK_SET:
-		pca963x_blink_work(pca963x);
-		break;
-	}
-}
-
-static void pca963x_led_set(struct led_classdev *led_cdev,
+static int pca963x_led_set(struct led_classdev *led_cdev,
 	enum led_brightness value)
 {
 	struct pca963x_led *pca963x;
 
 	pca963x = container_of(led_cdev, struct pca963x_led, led_cdev);
 
-	pca963x->cmd = BRIGHTNESS_SET;
-	pca963x->brightness = value;
-
-	/*
-	 * Must use workqueue for the actual I/O since I2C operations
-	 * can sleep.
-	 */
-	schedule_work(&pca963x->work);
+	return pca963x_brightness(pca963x, value);
 }
 
 static int pca963x_blink_set(struct led_classdev *led_cdev,
@@ -254,15 +231,10 @@
 	 */
 	gfrq = (period * 24 / 1000) - 1;
 
-	pca963x->cmd = BLINK_SET;
 	pca963x->gdc = gdc;
 	pca963x->gfrq = gfrq;
 
-	/*
-	 * Must use workqueue for the actual I/O since I2C operations
-	 * can sleep.
-	 */
-	schedule_work(&pca963x->work);
+	pca963x_blink(pca963x);
 
 	*delay_on = time_on;
 	*delay_off = time_off;
@@ -409,13 +381,11 @@
 				 client->addr, i);
 
 		pca963x[i].led_cdev.name = pca963x[i].name;
-		pca963x[i].led_cdev.brightness_set = pca963x_led_set;
+		pca963x[i].led_cdev.brightness_set_blocking = pca963x_led_set;
 
 		if (pdata && pdata->blink_type == PCA963X_HW_BLINK)
 			pca963x[i].led_cdev.blink_set = pca963x_blink_set;
 
-		INIT_WORK(&pca963x[i].work, pca963x_work);
-
 		err = led_classdev_register(&client->dev, &pca963x[i].led_cdev);
 		if (err < 0)
 			goto exit;
@@ -435,10 +405,8 @@
 	return 0;
 
 exit:
-	while (i--) {
+	while (i--)
 		led_classdev_unregister(&pca963x[i].led_cdev);
-		cancel_work_sync(&pca963x[i].work);
-	}
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -448,10 +416,8 @@
 	struct pca963x *pca963x = i2c_get_clientdata(client);
 	int i;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < pca963x->chipdef->n_leds; i++) {
+	for (i = 0; i < pca963x->chipdef->n_leds; i++)
 		led_classdev_unregister(&pca963x->leds[i].led_cdev);
-		cancel_work_sync(&pca963x->leds[i].work);
-	}
 
 	return 0;
 }