diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_common.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_common.c
index 4c95f81..0eb2166 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_common.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_common.c
@@ -4413,43 +4413,31 @@ u8 ixgbe_calculate_checksum(u8 *buffer, u32 length)
 }
 
 /**
- *  ixgbe_host_interface_command - Issue command to manageability block
+ *  ixgbe_hic_unlocked - Issue command to manageability block unlocked
  *  @hw: pointer to the HW structure
- *  @buffer: contains the command to write and where the return status will
- *   be placed
+ *  @buffer: command to write and where the return status will be placed
  *  @length: length of buffer, must be multiple of 4 bytes
  *  @timeout: time in ms to wait for command completion
- *  @return_data: read and return data from the buffer (true) or not (false)
- *   Needed because FW structures are big endian and decoding of
- *   these fields can be 8 bit or 16 bit based on command. Decoding
- *   is not easily understood without making a table of commands.
- *   So we will leave this up to the caller to read back the data
- *   in these cases.
  *
  *  Communicates with the manageability block. On success return IXGBE_SUCCESS
  *  else returns semaphore error when encountering an error acquiring
  *  semaphore or IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND when command fails.
+ *
+ *  This function assumes that the IXGBE_GSSR_SW_MNG_SM semaphore is held
+ *  by the caller.
  **/
-s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer,
-				 u32 length, u32 timeout, bool return_data)
+s32 ixgbe_hic_unlocked(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer, u32 length,
+		       u32 timeout)
 {
-	u32 hicr, i, bi, fwsts;
-	u32 hdr_size = sizeof(struct ixgbe_hic_hdr);
-	u16 buf_len;
+	u32 hicr, i, fwsts;
 	u16 dword_len;
-	s32 status;
 
-	DEBUGFUNC("ixgbe_host_interface_command");
+	DEBUGFUNC("ixgbe_hic_unlocked");
 
-	if (length == 0 || length > IXGBE_HI_MAX_BLOCK_BYTE_LENGTH) {
+	if (!length || length > IXGBE_HI_MAX_BLOCK_BYTE_LENGTH) {
 		DEBUGOUT1("Buffer length failure buffersize=%d.\n", length);
 		return IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
 	}
-	/* Take management host interface semaphore */
-	status = hw->mac.ops.acquire_swfw_sync(hw, IXGBE_GSSR_SW_MNG_SM);
-
-	if (status)
-		return status;
 
 	/* Set bit 9 of FWSTS clearing FW reset indication */
 	fwsts = IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_FWSTS);
@@ -4457,17 +4445,15 @@ s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer,
 
 	/* Check that the host interface is enabled. */
 	hicr = IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_HICR);
-	if ((hicr & IXGBE_HICR_EN) == 0) {
+	if (!(hicr & IXGBE_HICR_EN)) {
 		DEBUGOUT("IXGBE_HOST_EN bit disabled.\n");
-		status = IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
-		goto rel_out;
+		return IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
 	}
 
 	/* Calculate length in DWORDs. We must be DWORD aligned */
-	if ((length % (sizeof(u32))) != 0) {
+	if (length % sizeof(u32)) {
 		DEBUGOUT("Buffer length failure, not aligned to dword");
-		status = IXGBE_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
-		goto rel_out;
+		return IXGBE_ERR_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
 	}
 
 	dword_len = length >> 2;
@@ -4490,14 +4476,59 @@ s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer,
 	}
 
 	/* Check command completion */
-	if ((timeout != 0 && i == timeout) ||
+	if ((timeout && i == timeout) ||
 	    !(IXGBE_READ_REG(hw, IXGBE_HICR) & IXGBE_HICR_SV)) {
 		ERROR_REPORT1(IXGBE_ERROR_CAUTION,
 			     "Command has failed with no status valid.\n");
-		status = IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
-		goto rel_out;
+		return IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
 	}
 
+	return IXGBE_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+/**
+ *  ixgbe_host_interface_command - Issue command to manageability block
+ *  @hw: pointer to the HW structure
+ *  @buffer: contains the command to write and where the return status will
+ *   be placed
+ *  @length: length of buffer, must be multiple of 4 bytes
+ *  @timeout: time in ms to wait for command completion
+ *  @return_data: read and return data from the buffer (true) or not (false)
+ *   Needed because FW structures are big endian and decoding of
+ *   these fields can be 8 bit or 16 bit based on command. Decoding
+ *   is not easily understood without making a table of commands.
+ *   So we will leave this up to the caller to read back the data
+ *   in these cases.
+ *
+ *  Communicates with the manageability block. On success return IXGBE_SUCCESS
+ *  else returns semaphore error when encountering an error acquiring
+ *  semaphore or IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND when command fails.
+ **/
+s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer,
+				 u32 length, u32 timeout, bool return_data)
+{
+	u32 hdr_size = sizeof(struct ixgbe_hic_hdr);
+	u16 dword_len;
+	u16 buf_len;
+	s32 status;
+	u32 bi;
+
+	DEBUGFUNC("ixgbe_host_interface_command");
+
+	if (length == 0 || length > IXGBE_HI_MAX_BLOCK_BYTE_LENGTH) {
+		DEBUGOUT1("Buffer length failure buffersize=%d.\n", length);
+		return IXGBE_ERR_HOST_INTERFACE_COMMAND;
+	}
+
+	/* Take management host interface semaphore */
+	status = hw->mac.ops.acquire_swfw_sync(hw, IXGBE_GSSR_SW_MNG_SM);
+	if (status)
+		return status;
+
+	status = ixgbe_hic_unlocked(hw, buffer, length, timeout);
+	if (status)
+		goto rel_out;
+
 	if (!return_data)
 		goto rel_out;
 
@@ -4512,7 +4543,7 @@ s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer,
 
 	/* If there is any thing in data position pull it in */
 	buf_len = ((struct ixgbe_hic_hdr *)buffer)->buf_len;
-	if (buf_len == 0)
+	if (!buf_len)
 		goto rel_out;
 
 	if (length < buf_len + hdr_size) {
diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_common.h b/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_common.h
index 0545f85..cd04237 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_common.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_common.h
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ s32 ixgbe_set_fw_drv_ver_generic(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u8 maj, u8 min,
 u8 ixgbe_calculate_checksum(u8 *buffer, u32 length);
 s32 ixgbe_host_interface_command(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u32 *buffer,
 				 u32 length, u32 timeout, bool return_data);
+s32 ixgbe_hic_unlocked(struct ixgbe_hw *, u32 *buffer, u32 length, u32 timeout);
 
 void ixgbe_clear_tx_pending(struct ixgbe_hw *hw);
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_x550.c b/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_x550.c
index 0cc7a3f..6f4dfd9 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_x550.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_x550.c
@@ -3192,13 +3192,13 @@ s32 ixgbe_setup_phy_loopback_x550em(struct ixgbe_hw *hw)
  *
  *  Reads a 16 bit word from the EEPROM using the hostif.
  **/
-s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_data_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 offset,
-				   u16 *data)
+s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 offset, u16 *data)
 {
-	s32 status;
+	const u32 mask = IXGBE_GSSR_SW_MNG_SM | IXGBE_GSSR_EEP_SM;
 	struct ixgbe_hic_read_shadow_ram buffer;
+	s32 status;
 
-	DEBUGFUNC("ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_data_X550");
+	DEBUGFUNC("ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_X550");
 	buffer.hdr.req.cmd = FW_READ_SHADOW_RAM_CMD;
 	buffer.hdr.req.buf_lenh = 0;
 	buffer.hdr.req.buf_lenl = FW_READ_SHADOW_RAM_LEN;
@@ -3209,42 +3209,18 @@ s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_data_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 offset,
 	/* one word */
 	buffer.length = IXGBE_CPU_TO_BE16(sizeof(u16));
 
-	status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, (u32 *)&buffer,
-					      sizeof(buffer),
-					      IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT, false);
-
+	status = hw->mac.ops.acquire_swfw_sync(hw, mask);
 	if (status)
 		return status;
 
-	*data = (u16)IXGBE_READ_REG_ARRAY(hw, IXGBE_FLEX_MNG,
-					  FW_NVM_DATA_OFFSET);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-/**
- *  ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_X550 - Read EEPROM word using a host interface command
- *  @hw: pointer to hardware structure
- *  @offset: offset of  word in the EEPROM to read
- *  @data: word read from the EEPROM
- *
- *  Reads a 16 bit word from the EEPROM using the hostif.
- **/
-s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 offset,
-			      u16 *data)
-{
-	s32 status = IXGBE_SUCCESS;
-
-	DEBUGFUNC("ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_X550");
-
-	if (hw->mac.ops.acquire_swfw_sync(hw, IXGBE_GSSR_EEP_SM) ==
-	    IXGBE_SUCCESS) {
-		status = ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_data_X550(hw, offset, data);
-		hw->mac.ops.release_swfw_sync(hw, IXGBE_GSSR_EEP_SM);
-	} else {
-		status = IXGBE_ERR_SWFW_SYNC;
+	status = ixgbe_hic_unlocked(hw, (u32 *)&buffer, sizeof(buffer),
+				    IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT);
+	if (!status) {
+		*data = (u16)IXGBE_READ_REG_ARRAY(hw, IXGBE_FLEX_MNG,
+						  FW_NVM_DATA_OFFSET);
 	}
 
+	hw->mac.ops.release_swfw_sync(hw, mask);
 	return status;
 }
 
@@ -3260,6 +3236,7 @@ s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 offset,
 s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_buffer_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw,
 				     u16 offset, u16 words, u16 *data)
 {
+	const u32 mask = IXGBE_GSSR_SW_MNG_SM | IXGBE_GSSR_EEP_SM;
 	struct ixgbe_hic_read_shadow_ram buffer;
 	u32 current_word = 0;
 	u16 words_to_read;
@@ -3269,7 +3246,7 @@ s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_buffer_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw,
 	DEBUGFUNC("ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_buffer_X550");
 
 	/* Take semaphore for the entire operation. */
-	status = hw->mac.ops.acquire_swfw_sync(hw, IXGBE_GSSR_EEP_SM);
+	status = hw->mac.ops.acquire_swfw_sync(hw, mask);
 	if (status) {
 		DEBUGOUT("EEPROM read buffer - semaphore failed\n");
 		return status;
@@ -3289,10 +3266,8 @@ s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_buffer_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw,
 		buffer.address = IXGBE_CPU_TO_BE32((offset + current_word) * 2);
 		buffer.length = IXGBE_CPU_TO_BE16(words_to_read * 2);
 
-		status = ixgbe_host_interface_command(hw, (u32 *)&buffer,
-						      sizeof(buffer),
-						      IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT,
-						      false);
+		status = ixgbe_hic_unlocked(hw, (u32 *)&buffer, sizeof(buffer),
+					    IXGBE_HI_COMMAND_TIMEOUT);
 
 		if (status) {
 			DEBUGOUT("Host interface command failed\n");
@@ -3317,7 +3292,7 @@ s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_buffer_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw,
 	}
 
 out:
-	hw->mac.ops.release_swfw_sync(hw, IXGBE_GSSR_EEP_SM);
+	hw->mac.ops.release_swfw_sync(hw, mask);
 	return status;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_x550.h b/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_x550.h
index c7253f0..36b36f6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_x550.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ixgbe/base/ixgbe_x550.h
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_buffer_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw,
 				     u16 offset, u16 words, u16 *data);
 s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 offset,
 u16				*data);
-s32 ixgbe_read_ee_hostif_data_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 offset,
-				   u16 *data);
 s32 ixgbe_write_ee_hostif_data_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, u16 offset,
 				    u16 data);
 s32 ixgbe_set_eee_X550(struct ixgbe_hw *hw, bool enable_eee);
