diff --git a/hw/ssi/pnv_spi.c b/hw/ssi/pnv_spi.c
index 63d298980d..87eac666bb 100644
--- a/hw/ssi/pnv_spi.c
+++ b/hw/ssi/pnv_spi.c
@@ -212,18 +212,6 @@ static void transfer(PnvSpi *s)
     fifo8_reset(&s->rx_fifo);
 }
 
-static inline uint8_t get_seq_index(PnvSpi *s)
-{
-    return GETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status);
-}
-
-static inline void next_sequencer_fsm(PnvSpi *s)
-{
-    uint8_t seq_index = get_seq_index(s);
-    s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status, (seq_index + 1));
-    s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
-}
-
 /*
  * Calculate the N1 counters based on passed in opcode and
  * internal register values.
@@ -637,6 +625,7 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
     bool stop = false; /* Flag to stop the sequencer */
     uint8_t opcode = 0;
     uint8_t masked_opcode = 0;
+    uint8_t seq_index;
 
     /*
      * Clear the sequencer FSM error bit - general_SPI_status[3]
@@ -650,12 +639,13 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
     if (GETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status) == SEQ_STATE_IDLE) {
         s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status, 0);
     }
+    seq_index = GETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status);
     /*
      * There are only 8 possible operation IDs to iterate through though
      * some operations may cause more than one frame to be sequenced.
      */
-    while (get_seq_index(s) < NUM_SEQ_OPS) {
-        opcode = s->seq_op[get_seq_index(s)];
+    while (seq_index < NUM_SEQ_OPS) {
+        opcode = s->seq_op[seq_index];
         /* Set sequencer state to decode */
         s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_DECODE);
         /*
@@ -672,7 +662,7 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
         case SEQ_OP_STOP:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
             /* A stop operation in any position stops the sequencer */
-            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("STOP", get_seq_index(s));
+            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("STOP", seq_index);
 
             stop = true;
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SHIFTER_FSM, s->status, FSM_IDLE);
@@ -683,7 +673,7 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
 
         case SEQ_OP_SELECT_SLAVE:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
-            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("SELECT_SLAVE", get_seq_index(s));
+            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("SELECT_SLAVE", seq_index);
             /*
              * This device currently only supports a single responder
              * connection at position 0.  De-selecting a responder is fine
@@ -694,8 +684,7 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
             if (s->responder_select == 0) {
                 trace_pnv_spi_shifter_done();
                 qemu_set_irq(s->cs_line[0], 1);
-                s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status,
-                                (get_seq_index(s) + 1));
+                seq_index++;
                 s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SHIFTER_FSM, s->status, FSM_DONE);
             } else if (s->responder_select != 1) {
                 qemu_log_mask(LOG_GUEST_ERROR, "Slave selection other than 1 "
@@ -720,13 +709,15 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
                  * applies once a valid responder select has occurred.
                  */
                 s->shift_n1_done = false;
-                next_sequencer_fsm(s);
+                seq_index++;
+                s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status,
+                                SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
             }
             break;
 
         case SEQ_OP_SHIFT_N1:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
-            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("SHIFT_N1", get_seq_index(s));
+            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("SHIFT_N1", seq_index);
             /*
              * Only allow a shift_n1 when the state is not IDLE or DONE.
              * In either of those two cases the sequencer is not in a proper
@@ -758,8 +749,9 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
                  * transmission to the responder without requiring a refill of
                  * the TDR between the two operations.
                  */
-                if (PNV_SPI_MASKED_OPCODE(s->seq_op[get_seq_index(s) + 1])
-                                == SEQ_OP_SHIFT_N2) {
+                if ((seq_index != 7) &&
+                    PNV_SPI_MASKED_OPCODE(s->seq_op[(seq_index + 1)]) ==
+                    SEQ_OP_SHIFT_N2) {
                     send_n1_alone = false;
                 }
                 s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SHIFTER_FSM, s->status, FSM_SHIFT_N1);
@@ -779,9 +771,8 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
                     if (GETFIELD(SPI_STS_TDR_UNDERRUN, s->status)) {
                         s->shift_n1_done = true;
                         s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SHIFTER_FSM, s->status,
-                                        FSM_SHIFT_N2);
-                        s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status,
-                                        (get_seq_index(s) + 1));
+                                                  FSM_SHIFT_N2);
+                        seq_index++;
                     } else {
                         /*
                          * This is case (1) or (2) so the sequencer needs to
@@ -792,14 +783,16 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
                 } else {
                     /* Ok to move on to the next index */
                     s->shift_n1_done = true;
-                    next_sequencer_fsm(s);
+                    seq_index++;
+                    s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status,
+                                    SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
                 }
             }
             break;
 
         case SEQ_OP_SHIFT_N2:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
-            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("SHIFT_N2", get_seq_index(s));
+            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("SHIFT_N2", seq_index);
             if (!s->shift_n1_done) {
                 qemu_log_mask(LOG_GUEST_ERROR, "Shift_N2 is not allowed if a "
                               "Shift_N1 is not done, shifter state = 0x%llx",
@@ -824,14 +817,16 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
                     s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SHIFTER_FSM, s->status, FSM_WAIT);
                 } else {
                     /* Ok to move on to the next index */
-                    next_sequencer_fsm(s);
+                    seq_index++;
+                    s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status,
+                                    SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
                 }
             }
             break;
 
         case SEQ_OP_BRANCH_IFNEQ_RDR:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
-            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("BRANCH_IFNEQ_RDR", get_seq_index(s));
+            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("BRANCH_IFNEQ_RDR", seq_index);
             /*
              * The memory mapping register RDR match value is compared against
              * the 16 rightmost bytes of the RDR (potentially with masking).
@@ -847,15 +842,16 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
                 if (rdr_matched) {
                     trace_pnv_spi_RDR_match("success");
                     /* A match occurred, increment the sequencer index. */
-                    next_sequencer_fsm(s);
+                    seq_index++;
+                    s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status,
+                                    SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
                 } else {
                     trace_pnv_spi_RDR_match("failed");
                     /*
                      * Branch the sequencer to the index coded into the op
                      * code.
                      */
-                    s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status,
-                                    PNV_SPI_OPCODE_LO_NIBBLE(opcode));
+                    seq_index = PNV_SPI_OPCODE_LO_NIBBLE(opcode);
                 }
                 /*
                  * Regardless of where the branch ended up we want the
@@ -874,12 +870,13 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
         case SEQ_OP_TRANSFER_TDR:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
             qemu_log_mask(LOG_GUEST_ERROR, "Transfer TDR is not supported\n");
-            next_sequencer_fsm(s);
+            seq_index++;
+            s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
             break;
 
         case SEQ_OP_BRANCH_IFNEQ_INC_1:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
-            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("BRANCH_IFNEQ_INC_1", get_seq_index(s));
+            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("BRANCH_IFNEQ_INC_1", seq_index);
             /*
              * The spec says the loop should execute count compare + 1 times.
              * However we learned from engineering that we really only loop
@@ -893,19 +890,21 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
                  * mask off all but the first three bits so we don't try to
                  * access beyond the sequencer_operation_reg boundary.
                  */
-                s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status,
-                                PNV_SPI_OPCODE_LO_NIBBLE(opcode));
+                seq_index = PNV_SPI_OPCODE_LO_NIBBLE(opcode);
                 s->loop_counter_1++;
             } else {
                 /* Continue to next index if loop counter is reached */
-                next_sequencer_fsm(s);
+                seq_index++;
+                s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status,
+                                SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
             }
             break;
 
         case SEQ_OP_BRANCH_IFNEQ_INC_2:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
-            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("BRANCH_IFNEQ_INC_2", get_seq_index(s));
-            uint8_t condition2 = GETFIELD(SPI_CTR_CFG_CMP2, s->regs[SPI_CTR_CFG_REG]);
+            trace_pnv_spi_sequencer_op("BRANCH_IFNEQ_INC_2", seq_index);
+            uint8_t condition2 = GETFIELD(SPI_CTR_CFG_CMP2,
+                              s->regs[SPI_CTR_CFG_REG]);
             /*
              * The spec says the loop should execute count compare + 1 times.
              * However we learned from engineering that we really only loop
@@ -918,19 +917,21 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
                  * mask off all but the first three bits so we don't try to
                  * access beyond the sequencer_operation_reg boundary.
                  */
-                s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX,
-                                s->status, PNV_SPI_OPCODE_LO_NIBBLE(opcode));
+                seq_index = PNV_SPI_OPCODE_LO_NIBBLE(opcode);
                 s->loop_counter_2++;
             } else {
                 /* Continue to next index if loop counter is reached */
-                next_sequencer_fsm(s);
+                seq_index++;
+                s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status,
+                                SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
             }
             break;
 
         default:
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_EXECUTE);
             /* Ignore unsupported operations. */
-            next_sequencer_fsm(s);
+            seq_index++;
+            s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_INDEX_INCREMENT);
             break;
         } /* end of switch */
         /*
@@ -938,10 +939,10 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
          * we need to go ahead and end things as if there was a STOP at the
          * end.
          */
-        if (get_seq_index(s) == NUM_SEQ_OPS) {
+        if (seq_index == NUM_SEQ_OPS) {
             /* All 8 opcodes completed, sequencer idling */
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SHIFTER_FSM, s->status, FSM_IDLE);
-            s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status, 0);
+            seq_index = 0;
             s->loop_counter_1 = 0;
             s->loop_counter_2 = 0;
             s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_FSM, s->status, SEQ_STATE_IDLE);
@@ -952,6 +953,8 @@ static void operation_sequencer(PnvSpi *s)
             break;
         }
     } /* end of while */
+    /* Update sequencer index field in status.*/
+    s->status = SETFIELD(SPI_STS_SEQ_INDEX, s->status, seq_index);
     return;
 } /* end of operation_sequencer() */
 
