diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/libertas/if_spi.c b/drivers/net/wireless/libertas/if_spi.c
index 0060023..f6c2cd6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/libertas/if_spi.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/libertas/if_spi.c
@@ -20,10 +20,8 @@
 #include <linux/moduleparam.h>
 #include <linux/firmware.h>
 #include <linux/jiffies.h>
-#include <linux/kthread.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/netdevice.h>
-#include <linux/semaphore.h>
 #include <linux/slab.h>
 #include <linux/spi/libertas_spi.h>
 #include <linux/spi/spi.h>
@@ -34,6 +32,12 @@
 #include "dev.h"
 #include "if_spi.h"
 
+struct if_spi_packet {
+	struct list_head		list;
+	u16				blen;
+	u8				buffer[0] __attribute__((aligned(4)));
+};
+
 struct if_spi_card {
 	struct spi_device		*spi;
 	struct lbs_private		*priv;
@@ -51,18 +55,36 @@ struct if_spi_card {
 	unsigned long			spu_reg_delay;
 
 	/* Handles all SPI communication (except for FW load) */
-	struct task_struct		*spi_thread;
-	int				run_thread;
-
-	/* Used to wake up the spi_thread */
-	struct semaphore		spi_ready;
-	struct semaphore		spi_thread_terminated;
+	struct workqueue_struct		*workqueue;
+	struct work_struct		packet_work;
 
 	u8				cmd_buffer[IF_SPI_CMD_BUF_SIZE];
+
+	/* A buffer of incoming packets from libertas core.
+	 * Since we can't sleep in hw_host_to_card, we have to buffer
+	 * them. */
+	struct list_head		cmd_packet_list;
+	struct list_head		data_packet_list;
+
+	/* Protects cmd_packet_list and data_packet_list */
+	spinlock_t			buffer_lock;
 };
 
 static void free_if_spi_card(struct if_spi_card *card)
 {
+	struct list_head *cursor, *next;
+	struct if_spi_packet *packet;
+
+	list_for_each_safe(cursor, next, &card->cmd_packet_list) {
+		packet = container_of(cursor, struct if_spi_packet, list);
+		list_del(&packet->list);
+		kfree(packet);
+	}
+	list_for_each_safe(cursor, next, &card->data_packet_list) {
+		packet = container_of(cursor, struct if_spi_packet, list);
+		list_del(&packet->list);
+		kfree(packet);
+	}
 	spi_set_drvdata(card->spi, NULL);
 	kfree(card);
 }
@@ -622,7 +644,7 @@ out:
 /*
  * SPI Transfer Thread
  *
- * The SPI thread handles all SPI transfers, so there is no need for a lock.
+ * The SPI worker handles all SPI transfers, so there is no need for a lock.
  */
 
 /* Move a command from the card to the host */
@@ -742,6 +764,40 @@ out:
 	return err;
 }
 
+/* Move data or a command from the host to the card. */
+static void if_spi_h2c(struct if_spi_card *card,
+			struct if_spi_packet *packet, int type)
+{
+	int err = 0;
+	u16 int_type, port_reg;
+
+	switch (type) {
+	case MVMS_DAT:
+		int_type = IF_SPI_CIC_TX_DOWNLOAD_OVER;
+		port_reg = IF_SPI_DATA_RDWRPORT_REG;
+		break;
+	case MVMS_CMD:
+		int_type = IF_SPI_CIC_CMD_DOWNLOAD_OVER;
+		port_reg = IF_SPI_CMD_RDWRPORT_REG;
+		break;
+	default:
+		lbs_pr_err("can't transfer buffer of type %d\n", type);
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	/* Write the data to the card */
+	err = spu_write(card, port_reg, packet->buffer, packet->blen);
+	if (err)
+		goto out;
+
+out:
+	kfree(packet);
+
+	if (err)
+		lbs_pr_err("%s: error %d\n", __func__, err);
+}
+
 /* Inform the host about a card event */
 static void if_spi_e2h(struct if_spi_card *card)
 {
@@ -766,71 +822,88 @@ out:
 		lbs_pr_err("%s: error %d\n", __func__, err);
 }
 
-static int lbs_spi_thread(void *data)
+static void if_spi_host_to_card_worker(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	int err;
-	struct if_spi_card *card = data;
+	struct if_spi_card *card;
 	u16 hiStatus;
+	unsigned long flags;
+	struct if_spi_packet *packet;
 
-	while (1) {
-		/* Wait to be woken up by one of two things.  First, our ISR
-		 * could tell us that something happened on the WLAN.
-		 * Secondly, libertas could call hw_host_to_card with more
-		 * data, which we might be able to send.
-		 */
-		do {
-			err = down_interruptible(&card->spi_ready);
-			if (!card->run_thread) {
-				up(&card->spi_thread_terminated);
-				do_exit(0);
-			}
-		} while (err == -EINTR);
+	card = container_of(work, struct if_spi_card, packet_work);
 
-		/* Read the host interrupt status register to see what we
-		 * can do. */
-		err = spu_read_u16(card, IF_SPI_HOST_INT_STATUS_REG,
-					&hiStatus);
-		if (err) {
-			lbs_pr_err("I/O error\n");
+	lbs_deb_enter(LBS_DEB_SPI);
+
+	/* Read the host interrupt status register to see what we
+	 * can do. */
+	err = spu_read_u16(card, IF_SPI_HOST_INT_STATUS_REG,
+				&hiStatus);
+	if (err) {
+		lbs_pr_err("I/O error\n");
+		goto err;
+	}
+
+	if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_CMD_UPLOAD_RDY) {
+		err = if_spi_c2h_cmd(card);
+		if (err)
 			goto err;
-		}
+	}
+	if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_RX_UPLOAD_RDY) {
+		err = if_spi_c2h_data(card);
+		if (err)
+			goto err;
+	}
 
-		if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_CMD_UPLOAD_RDY) {
-			err = if_spi_c2h_cmd(card);
-			if (err)
-				goto err;
-		}
-		if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_RX_UPLOAD_RDY) {
-			err = if_spi_c2h_data(card);
-			if (err)
-				goto err;
+	/* workaround: in PS mode, the card does not set the Command
+	 * Download Ready bit, but it sets TX Download Ready. */
+	if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_CMD_DOWNLOAD_RDY ||
+	   (card->priv->psstate != PS_STATE_FULL_POWER &&
+	    (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_TX_DOWNLOAD_RDY))) {
+		/* This means two things. First of all,
+		 * if there was a previous command sent, the card has
+		 * successfully received it.
+		 * Secondly, it is now ready to download another
+		 * command.
+		 */
+		lbs_host_to_card_done(card->priv);
+
+		/* Do we have any command packets from the host to
+		 * send? */
+		packet = NULL;
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&card->buffer_lock, flags);
+		if (!list_empty(&card->cmd_packet_list)) {
+			packet = (struct if_spi_packet *)(card->
+					cmd_packet_list.next);
+			list_del(&packet->list);
 		}
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&card->buffer_lock, flags);
 
-		/* workaround: in PS mode, the card does not set the Command
-		 * Download Ready bit, but it sets TX Download Ready. */
-		if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_CMD_DOWNLOAD_RDY ||
-		   (card->priv->psstate != PS_STATE_FULL_POWER &&
-		    (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_TX_DOWNLOAD_RDY))) {
-			lbs_host_to_card_done(card->priv);
+		if (packet)
+			if_spi_h2c(card, packet, MVMS_CMD);
+	}
+	if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_TX_DOWNLOAD_RDY) {
+		/* Do we have any data packets from the host to
+		 * send? */
+		packet = NULL;
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&card->buffer_lock, flags);
+		if (!list_empty(&card->data_packet_list)) {
+			packet = (struct if_spi_packet *)(card->
+					data_packet_list.next);
+			list_del(&packet->list);
 		}
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&card->buffer_lock, flags);
 
-		if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_CARD_EVENT)
-			if_spi_e2h(card);
+		if (packet)
+			if_spi_h2c(card, packet, MVMS_DAT);
+	}
+	if (hiStatus & IF_SPI_HIST_CARD_EVENT)
+		if_spi_e2h(card);
 
 err:
-		if (err)
-			lbs_pr_err("%s: got error %d\n", __func__, err);
-	}
-}
+	if (err)
+		lbs_pr_err("%s: got error %d\n", __func__, err);
 
-/* Block until lbs_spi_thread thread has terminated */
-static void if_spi_terminate_spi_thread(struct if_spi_card *card)
-{
-	/* It would be nice to use kthread_stop here, but that function
-	 * can't wake threads waiting for a semaphore. */
-	card->run_thread = 0;
-	up(&card->spi_ready);
-	down(&card->spi_thread_terminated);
+	lbs_deb_leave(LBS_DEB_SPI);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -842,18 +915,40 @@ static int if_spi_host_to_card(struct lbs_private *priv,
 				u8 type, u8 *buf, u16 nb)
 {
 	int err = 0;
+	unsigned long flags;
 	struct if_spi_card *card = priv->card;
+	struct if_spi_packet *packet;
+	u16 blen;
 
 	lbs_deb_enter_args(LBS_DEB_SPI, "type %d, bytes %d", type, nb);
 
-	nb = ALIGN(nb, 4);
+	if (nb == 0) {
+		lbs_pr_err("%s: invalid size requested: %d\n", __func__, nb);
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+	blen = ALIGN(nb, 4);
+	packet = kzalloc(sizeof(struct if_spi_packet) + blen, GFP_ATOMIC);
+	if (!packet) {
+		err = -ENOMEM;
+		goto out;
+	}
+	packet->blen = blen;
+	memcpy(packet->buffer, buf, nb);
+	memset(packet->buffer + nb, 0, blen - nb);
 
 	switch (type) {
 	case MVMS_CMD:
-		err = spu_write(card, IF_SPI_CMD_RDWRPORT_REG, buf, nb);
+		priv->dnld_sent = DNLD_CMD_SENT;
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&card->buffer_lock, flags);
+		list_add_tail(&packet->list, &card->cmd_packet_list);
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&card->buffer_lock, flags);
 		break;
 	case MVMS_DAT:
-		err = spu_write(card, IF_SPI_DATA_RDWRPORT_REG, buf, nb);
+		priv->dnld_sent = DNLD_DATA_SENT;
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&card->buffer_lock, flags);
+		list_add_tail(&packet->list, &card->data_packet_list);
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&card->buffer_lock, flags);
 		break;
 	default:
 		lbs_pr_err("can't transfer buffer of type %d", type);
@@ -861,6 +956,9 @@ static int if_spi_host_to_card(struct lbs_private *priv,
 		break;
 	}
 
+	/* Queue spi xfer work */
+	queue_work(card->workqueue, &card->packet_work);
+out:
 	lbs_deb_leave_args(LBS_DEB_SPI, "err=%d", err);
 	return err;
 }
@@ -869,13 +967,14 @@ static int if_spi_host_to_card(struct lbs_private *priv,
  * Host Interrupts
  *
  * Service incoming interrupts from the WLAN device. We can't sleep here, so
- * don't try to talk on the SPI bus, just wake up the SPI thread.
+ * don't try to talk on the SPI bus, just queue the SPI xfer work.
  */
 static irqreturn_t if_spi_host_interrupt(int irq, void *dev_id)
 {
 	struct if_spi_card *card = dev_id;
 
-	up(&card->spi_ready);
+	queue_work(card->workqueue, &card->packet_work);
+
 	return IRQ_HANDLED;
 }
 
@@ -883,56 +982,26 @@ static irqreturn_t if_spi_host_interrupt(int irq, void *dev_id)
  * SPI callbacks
  */
 
-static int __devinit if_spi_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
+static int if_spi_init_card(struct if_spi_card *card)
 {
-	struct if_spi_card *card;
-	struct lbs_private *priv = NULL;
-	struct libertas_spi_platform_data *pdata = spi->dev.platform_data;
-	int err = 0, i;
+	struct spi_device *spi = card->spi;
+	int err, i;
 	u32 scratch;
-	struct sched_param param = { .sched_priority = 1 };
 	const struct firmware *helper = NULL;
 	const struct firmware *mainfw = NULL;
 
 	lbs_deb_enter(LBS_DEB_SPI);
 
-	if (!pdata) {
-		err = -EINVAL;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	if (pdata->setup) {
-		err = pdata->setup(spi);
-		if (err)
-			goto out;
-	}
-
-	/* Allocate card structure to represent this specific device */
-	card = kzalloc(sizeof(struct if_spi_card), GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (!card) {
-		err = -ENOMEM;
-		goto out;
-	}
-	spi_set_drvdata(spi, card);
-	card->pdata = pdata;
-	card->spi = spi;
-	card->prev_xfer_time = jiffies;
-
-	sema_init(&card->spi_ready, 0);
-	sema_init(&card->spi_thread_terminated, 0);
-
-	/* Initialize the SPI Interface Unit */
-	err = spu_init(card, pdata->use_dummy_writes);
+	err = spu_init(card, card->pdata->use_dummy_writes);
 	if (err)
-		goto free_card;
+		goto out;
 	err = spu_get_chip_revision(card, &card->card_id, &card->card_rev);
 	if (err)
-		goto free_card;
+		goto out;
 
-	/* Firmware load */
 	err = spu_read_u32(card, IF_SPI_SCRATCH_4_REG, &scratch);
 	if (err)
-		goto free_card;
+		goto out;
 	if (scratch == SUCCESSFUL_FW_DOWNLOAD_MAGIC)
 		lbs_deb_spi("Firmware is already loaded for "
 			    "Marvell WLAN 802.11 adapter\n");
@@ -946,7 +1015,7 @@ static int __devinit if_spi_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
 			lbs_pr_err("Unsupported chip_id: 0x%02x\n",
 					card->card_id);
 			err = -ENODEV;
-			goto free_card;
+			goto out;
 		}
 
 		err = lbs_get_firmware(&card->spi->dev, NULL, NULL,
@@ -954,7 +1023,7 @@ static int __devinit if_spi_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
 					&mainfw);
 		if (err) {
 			lbs_pr_err("failed to find firmware (%d)\n", err);
-			goto free_card;
+			goto out;
 		}
 
 		lbs_deb_spi("Initializing FW for Marvell WLAN 802.11 adapter "
@@ -966,15 +1035,68 @@ static int __devinit if_spi_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
 				spi->max_speed_hz);
 		err = if_spi_prog_helper_firmware(card, helper);
 		if (err)
-			goto free_card;
+			goto out;
 		err = if_spi_prog_main_firmware(card, mainfw);
 		if (err)
-			goto free_card;
+			goto out;
 		lbs_deb_spi("loaded FW for Marvell WLAN 802.11 adapter\n");
 	}
 
 	err = spu_set_interrupt_mode(card, 0, 1);
 	if (err)
+		goto out;
+
+out:
+	if (helper)
+		release_firmware(helper);
+	if (mainfw)
+		release_firmware(mainfw);
+
+	lbs_deb_leave_args(LBS_DEB_SPI, "err %d\n", err);
+
+	return err;
+}
+
+static int __devinit if_spi_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
+{
+	struct if_spi_card *card;
+	struct lbs_private *priv = NULL;
+	struct libertas_spi_platform_data *pdata = spi->dev.platform_data;
+	int err = 0;
+
+	lbs_deb_enter(LBS_DEB_SPI);
+
+	if (!pdata) {
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	if (pdata->setup) {
+		err = pdata->setup(spi);
+		if (err)
+			goto out;
+	}
+
+	/* Allocate card structure to represent this specific device */
+	card = kzalloc(sizeof(struct if_spi_card), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!card) {
+		err = -ENOMEM;
+		goto teardown;
+	}
+	spi_set_drvdata(spi, card);
+	card->pdata = pdata;
+	card->spi = spi;
+	card->prev_xfer_time = jiffies;
+
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&card->cmd_packet_list);
+	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&card->data_packet_list);
+	spin_lock_init(&card->buffer_lock);
+
+	/* Initialize the SPI Interface Unit */
+
+	/* Firmware load */
+	err = if_spi_init_card(card);
+	if (err)
 		goto free_card;
 
 	/* Register our card with libertas.
@@ -993,27 +1115,16 @@ static int __devinit if_spi_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
 	priv->fw_ready = 1;
 
 	/* Initialize interrupt handling stuff. */
-	card->run_thread = 1;
-	card->spi_thread = kthread_run(lbs_spi_thread, card, "lbs_spi_thread");
-	if (IS_ERR(card->spi_thread)) {
-		card->run_thread = 0;
-		err = PTR_ERR(card->spi_thread);
-		lbs_pr_err("error creating SPI thread: err=%d\n", err);
-		goto remove_card;
-	}
-	if (sched_setscheduler(card->spi_thread, SCHED_FIFO, &param))
-		lbs_pr_err("Error setting scheduler, using default.\n");
+	card->workqueue = create_workqueue("libertas_spi");
+	INIT_WORK(&card->packet_work, if_spi_host_to_card_worker);
 
 	err = request_irq(spi->irq, if_spi_host_interrupt,
 			IRQF_TRIGGER_FALLING, "libertas_spi", card);
 	if (err) {
 		lbs_pr_err("can't get host irq line-- request_irq failed\n");
-		goto terminate_thread;
+		goto terminate_workqueue;
 	}
 
-	/* poke the IRQ handler so that we don't miss the first interrupt */
-	up(&card->spi_ready);
-
 	/* Start the card.
 	 * This will call register_netdev, and we'll start
 	 * getting interrupts... */
@@ -1028,18 +1139,16 @@ static int __devinit if_spi_probe(struct spi_device *spi)
 
 release_irq:
 	free_irq(spi->irq, card);
-terminate_thread:
-	if_spi_terminate_spi_thread(card);
-remove_card:
+terminate_workqueue:
+	flush_workqueue(card->workqueue);
+	destroy_workqueue(card->workqueue);
 	lbs_remove_card(priv); /* will call free_netdev */
 free_card:
 	free_if_spi_card(card);
+teardown:
+	if (pdata->teardown)
+		pdata->teardown(spi);
 out:
-	if (helper)
-		release_firmware(helper);
-	if (mainfw)
-		release_firmware(mainfw);
-
 	lbs_deb_leave_args(LBS_DEB_SPI, "err %d\n", err);
 	return err;
 }
@@ -1056,7 +1165,8 @@ static int __devexit libertas_spi_remove(struct spi_device *spi)
 	lbs_remove_card(priv); /* will call free_netdev */
 
 	free_irq(spi->irq, card);
-	if_spi_terminate_spi_thread(card);
+	flush_workqueue(card->workqueue);
+	destroy_workqueue(card->workqueue);
 	if (card->pdata->teardown)
 		card->pdata->teardown(spi);
 	free_if_spi_card(card);
