diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/init.c b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/init.c
index caaf4bd..2cf8b96 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/init.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/init.c
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ int mwifiex_dnld_fw(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter,
 		if (!ret) {
 			dev_notice(adapter->dev,
 				   "WLAN FW already running! Skip FW dnld\n");
-			goto done;
+			return 0;
 		}
 
 		poll_num = MAX_FIRMWARE_POLL_TRIES;
@@ -719,14 +719,8 @@ int mwifiex_dnld_fw(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter,
 poll_fw:
 	/* Check if the firmware is downloaded successfully or not */
 	ret = adapter->if_ops.check_fw_status(adapter, poll_num);
-	if (ret) {
+	if (ret)
 		dev_err(adapter->dev, "FW failed to be active in time\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
-done:
-	/* re-enable host interrupt for mwifiex after fw dnld is successful */
-	if (adapter->if_ops.enable_int)
-		adapter->if_ops.enable_int(adapter);
 
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.c b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.c
index e15ab72..1753431 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.c
@@ -427,6 +427,10 @@ static void mwifiex_fw_dpc(const struct firmware *firmware, void *context)
 				"Cal data request_firmware() failed\n");
 	}
 
+	/* enable host interrupt after fw dnld is successful */
+	if (adapter->if_ops.enable_int)
+		adapter->if_ops.enable_int(adapter);
+
 	adapter->init_wait_q_woken = false;
 	ret = mwifiex_init_fw(adapter);
 	if (ret == -1) {
@@ -478,6 +482,8 @@ err_add_intf:
 	mwifiex_del_virtual_intf(adapter->wiphy, priv->wdev);
 	rtnl_unlock();
 err_init_fw:
+	if (adapter->if_ops.disable_int)
+		adapter->if_ops.disable_int(adapter);
 	pr_debug("info: %s: unregister device\n", __func__);
 	adapter->if_ops.unregister_dev(adapter);
 done:
@@ -855,7 +861,7 @@ mwifiex_add_card(void *card, struct semaphore *sem,
 	INIT_WORK(&adapter->main_work, mwifiex_main_work_queue);
 
 	/* Register the device. Fill up the private data structure with relevant
-	   information from the card and request for the required IRQ. */
+	   information from the card. */
 	if (adapter->if_ops.register_dev(adapter)) {
 		pr_err("%s: failed to register mwifiex device\n", __func__);
 		goto err_registerdev;
@@ -919,6 +925,11 @@ int mwifiex_remove_card(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter, struct semaphore *sem)
 	if (!adapter)
 		goto exit_remove;
 
+	/* We can no longer handle interrupts once we start doing the teardown
+	 * below. */
+	if (adapter->if_ops.disable_int)
+		adapter->if_ops.disable_int(adapter);
+
 	adapter->surprise_removed = true;
 
 	/* Stop data */
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.h b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.h
index 3da73d3..253e0bd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/main.h
@@ -601,6 +601,7 @@ struct mwifiex_if_ops {
 	int (*register_dev) (struct mwifiex_adapter *);
 	void (*unregister_dev) (struct mwifiex_adapter *);
 	int (*enable_int) (struct mwifiex_adapter *);
+	void (*disable_int) (struct mwifiex_adapter *);
 	int (*process_int_status) (struct mwifiex_adapter *);
 	int (*host_to_card) (struct mwifiex_adapter *, u8, struct sk_buff *,
 			     struct mwifiex_tx_param *);
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/sdio.c b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/sdio.c
index 5ee5ed0..5ef49f2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/sdio.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/sdio.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ static struct mwifiex_if_ops sdio_ops;
 static struct semaphore add_remove_card_sem;
 
 static int mwifiex_sdio_resume(struct device *dev);
+static void mwifiex_sdio_interrupt(struct sdio_func *func);
 
 /*
  * SDIO probe.
@@ -296,6 +297,15 @@ static struct sdio_driver mwifiex_sdio = {
 	}
 };
 
+/* Write data into SDIO card register. Caller claims SDIO device. */
+static int
+mwifiex_write_reg_locked(struct sdio_func *func, u32 reg, u8 data)
+{
+	int ret = -1;
+	sdio_writeb(func, data, reg, &ret);
+	return ret;
+}
+
 /*
  * This function writes data into SDIO card register.
  */
@@ -303,10 +313,10 @@ static int
 mwifiex_write_reg(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter, u32 reg, u8 data)
 {
 	struct sdio_mmc_card *card = adapter->card;
-	int ret = -1;
+	int ret;
 
 	sdio_claim_host(card->func);
-	sdio_writeb(card->func, data, reg, &ret);
+	ret = mwifiex_write_reg_locked(card->func, reg, data);
 	sdio_release_host(card->func);
 
 	return ret;
@@ -685,23 +695,15 @@ mwifiex_sdio_read_fw_status(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter, u16 *dat)
  * The host interrupt mask is read, the disable bit is reset and
  * written back to the card host interrupt mask register.
  */
-static int mwifiex_sdio_disable_host_int(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
+static void mwifiex_sdio_disable_host_int(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 {
-	u8 host_int_mask, host_int_disable = HOST_INT_DISABLE;
-
-	/* Read back the host_int_mask register */
-	if (mwifiex_read_reg(adapter, HOST_INT_MASK_REG, &host_int_mask))
-		return -1;
-
-	/* Update with the mask and write back to the register */
-	host_int_mask &= ~host_int_disable;
-
-	if (mwifiex_write_reg(adapter, HOST_INT_MASK_REG, host_int_mask)) {
-		dev_err(adapter->dev, "disable host interrupt failed\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
+	struct sdio_mmc_card *card = adapter->card;
+	struct sdio_func *func = card->func;
 
-	return 0;
+	sdio_claim_host(func);
+	mwifiex_write_reg_locked(func, HOST_INT_MASK_REG, 0);
+	sdio_release_irq(func);
+	sdio_release_host(func);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -713,14 +715,29 @@ static int mwifiex_sdio_disable_host_int(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 static int mwifiex_sdio_enable_host_int(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 {
 	struct sdio_mmc_card *card = adapter->card;
+	struct sdio_func *func = card->func;
+	int ret;
+
+	sdio_claim_host(func);
+
+	/* Request the SDIO IRQ */
+	ret = sdio_claim_irq(func, mwifiex_sdio_interrupt);
+	if (ret) {
+		dev_err(adapter->dev, "claim irq failed: ret=%d\n", ret);
+		goto out;
+	}
 
 	/* Simply write the mask to the register */
-	if (mwifiex_write_reg(adapter, HOST_INT_MASK_REG,
-			      card->reg->host_int_enable)) {
+	ret = mwifiex_write_reg_locked(func, HOST_INT_MASK_REG,
+				       card->reg->host_int_enable);
+	if (ret) {
 		dev_err(adapter->dev, "enable host interrupt failed\n");
-		return -1;
+		sdio_release_irq(func);
 	}
-	return 0;
+
+out:
+	sdio_release_host(func);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -997,9 +1014,6 @@ mwifiex_sdio_interrupt(struct sdio_func *func)
 	}
 	adapter = card->adapter;
 
-	if (adapter->surprise_removed)
-		return;
-
 	if (!adapter->pps_uapsd_mode && adapter->ps_state == PS_STATE_SLEEP)
 		adapter->ps_state = PS_STATE_AWAKE;
 
@@ -1728,9 +1742,7 @@ mwifiex_unregister_dev(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 	struct sdio_mmc_card *card = adapter->card;
 
 	if (adapter->card) {
-		/* Release the SDIO IRQ */
 		sdio_claim_host(card->func);
-		sdio_release_irq(card->func);
 		sdio_disable_func(card->func);
 		sdio_release_host(card->func);
 		sdio_set_drvdata(card->func, NULL);
@@ -1744,7 +1756,7 @@ mwifiex_unregister_dev(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
  */
 static int mwifiex_register_dev(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 {
-	int ret = 0;
+	int ret;
 	struct sdio_mmc_card *card = adapter->card;
 	struct sdio_func *func = card->func;
 
@@ -1753,22 +1765,14 @@ static int mwifiex_register_dev(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 
 	sdio_claim_host(func);
 
-	/* Request the SDIO IRQ */
-	ret = sdio_claim_irq(func, mwifiex_sdio_interrupt);
-	if (ret) {
-		pr_err("claim irq failed: ret=%d\n", ret);
-		goto disable_func;
-	}
-
 	/* Set block size */
 	ret = sdio_set_block_size(card->func, MWIFIEX_SDIO_BLOCK_SIZE);
+	sdio_release_host(func);
 	if (ret) {
 		pr_err("cannot set SDIO block size\n");
-		ret = -1;
-		goto release_irq;
+		return ret;
 	}
 
-	sdio_release_host(func);
 	sdio_set_drvdata(func, card);
 
 	adapter->dev = &func->dev;
@@ -1776,15 +1780,6 @@ static int mwifiex_register_dev(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 	strcpy(adapter->fw_name, card->firmware);
 
 	return 0;
-
-release_irq:
-	sdio_release_irq(func);
-disable_func:
-	sdio_disable_func(func);
-	sdio_release_host(func);
-	adapter->card = NULL;
-
-	return -1;
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1813,9 +1808,6 @@ static int mwifiex_init_sdio(struct mwifiex_adapter *adapter)
 	 */
 	mwifiex_read_reg(adapter, HOST_INTSTATUS_REG, &sdio_ireg);
 
-	/* Disable host interrupt mask register for SDIO */
-	mwifiex_sdio_disable_host_int(adapter);
-
 	/* Get SDIO ioport */
 	mwifiex_init_sdio_ioport(adapter);
 
@@ -1957,6 +1949,7 @@ static struct mwifiex_if_ops sdio_ops = {
 	.register_dev = mwifiex_register_dev,
 	.unregister_dev = mwifiex_unregister_dev,
 	.enable_int = mwifiex_sdio_enable_host_int,
+	.disable_int = mwifiex_sdio_disable_host_int,
 	.process_int_status = mwifiex_process_int_status,
 	.host_to_card = mwifiex_sdio_host_to_card,
 	.wakeup = mwifiex_pm_wakeup_card,
diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/sdio.h b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/sdio.h
index 6d51dfd..532ae0a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/sdio.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/mwifiex/sdio.h
@@ -92,9 +92,6 @@
 /* Host Control Registers : Download host interrupt mask */
 #define DN_LD_HOST_INT_MASK		(0x2U)
 
-/* Disable Host interrupt mask */
-#define	HOST_INT_DISABLE		0xff
-
 /* Host Control Registers : Host interrupt status */
 #define HOST_INTSTATUS_REG		0x03
 /* Host Control Registers : Upload host interrupt status */
