diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_gbl.h b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_gbl.h
index ba49133..a336b4b 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_gbl.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_gbl.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 extern void qla81xx_update_fw_options(scsi_qla_host_t *);
 extern int qla2x00_load_risc(struct scsi_qla_host *, uint32_t *);
 extern int qla24xx_load_risc(scsi_qla_host_t *, uint32_t *);
+extern int qla81xx_load_risc(scsi_qla_host_t *, uint32_t *);
 
 extern int qla2x00_loop_resync(scsi_qla_host_t *);
 
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
index da9700f..f6368a1 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
@@ -3850,6 +3850,10 @@
 	uint32_t i;
 	struct qla_hw_data *ha = vha->hw;
 	struct req_que *req = ha->req_q_map[0];
+
+	qla_printk(KERN_INFO, ha,
+	    "FW: Loading from flash (%x)...\n", ha->flt_region_fw);
+
 	rval = QLA_SUCCESS;
 
 	segments = FA_RISC_CODE_SEGMENTS;
@@ -4025,8 +4029,8 @@
 	return QLA_FUNCTION_FAILED;
 }
 
-int
-qla24xx_load_risc(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, uint32_t *srisc_addr)
+static int
+qla24xx_load_risc_blob(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, uint32_t *srisc_addr)
 {
 	int	rval;
 	int	segments, fragment;
@@ -4046,12 +4050,12 @@
 		qla_printk(KERN_ERR, ha, "Firmware images can be retrieved "
 		    "from: " QLA_FW_URL ".\n");
 
-		/* Try to load RISC code from flash. */
-		qla_printk(KERN_ERR, ha, "Attempting to load (potentially "
-		    "outdated) firmware from flash.\n");
-		return qla24xx_load_risc_flash(vha, srisc_addr);
+		return QLA_FUNCTION_FAILED;
 	}
 
+	qla_printk(KERN_INFO, ha,
+	    "FW: Loading via request-firmware...\n");
+
 	rval = QLA_SUCCESS;
 
 	segments = FA_RISC_CODE_SEGMENTS;
@@ -4136,6 +4140,40 @@
 	return QLA_FUNCTION_FAILED;
 }
 
+int
+qla24xx_load_risc(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, uint32_t *srisc_addr)
+{
+	int rval;
+
+	/*
+	 * FW Load priority:
+	 * 1) Firmware via request-firmware interface (.bin file).
+	 * 2) Firmware residing in flash.
+	 */
+	rval = qla24xx_load_risc_blob(vha, srisc_addr);
+	if (rval == QLA_SUCCESS)
+		return rval;
+
+	return qla24xx_load_risc_flash(vha, srisc_addr);
+}
+
+int
+qla81xx_load_risc(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, uint32_t *srisc_addr)
+{
+	int rval;
+
+	/*
+	 * FW Load priority:
+	 * 1) Firmware residing in flash.
+	 * 2) Firmware via request-firmware interface (.bin file).
+	 */
+	rval = qla24xx_load_risc_flash(vha, srisc_addr);
+	if (rval == QLA_SUCCESS)
+		return rval;
+
+	return qla24xx_load_risc_blob(vha, srisc_addr);
+}
+
 void
 qla2x00_try_to_stop_firmware(scsi_qla_host_t *vha)
 {
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
index 185ea8b..cbf377f 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
@@ -1480,7 +1480,7 @@
 	.reset_adapter		= qla24xx_reset_adapter,
 	.nvram_config		= qla81xx_nvram_config,
 	.update_fw_options	= qla81xx_update_fw_options,
-	.load_risc		= qla24xx_load_risc,
+	.load_risc		= qla81xx_load_risc,
 	.pci_info_str		= qla24xx_pci_info_str,
 	.fw_version_str		= qla24xx_fw_version_str,
 	.intr_handler		= qla24xx_intr_handler,