diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
index 8b1c06d..2d7d478 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
@@ -3291,6 +3291,10 @@ struct qlt_hw_data {
 
 #define LEAK_EXCHG_THRESH_HOLD_PERCENT 75	/* 75 percent */
 
+#define QLA_EARLY_LINKUP(_ha) \
+	((_ha->flags.n2n_ae || _ha->flags.lip_ae) && \
+	 _ha->flags.fw_started && !_ha->flags.fw_init_done)
+
 /*
  * Qlogic host adapter specific data structure.
 */
@@ -3340,7 +3344,11 @@ struct qla_hw_data {
 		uint32_t	fawwpn_enabled:1;
 		uint32_t	exlogins_enabled:1;
 		uint32_t	exchoffld_enabled:1;
-		/* 35 bits */
+
+		uint32_t	lip_ae:1;
+		uint32_t	n2n_ae:1;
+		uint32_t	fw_started:1;
+		uint32_t	fw_init_done:1;
 	} flags;
 
 	/* This spinlock is used to protect "io transactions", you must
@@ -3433,7 +3441,6 @@ struct qla_hw_data {
 #define P2P_LOOP  3
 	uint8_t		interrupts_on;
 	uint32_t	isp_abort_cnt;
-
 #define PCI_DEVICE_ID_QLOGIC_ISP2532    0x2532
 #define PCI_DEVICE_ID_QLOGIC_ISP8432    0x8432
 #define PCI_DEVICE_ID_QLOGIC_ISP8001	0x8001
@@ -3914,6 +3921,7 @@ struct qla_tgt_counters {
 	struct list_head vp_fcports;	/* list of fcports */
 	struct list_head work_list;
 	spinlock_t work_lock;
+	struct work_struct iocb_work;
 
 	/* Commonly used flags and state information. */
 	struct Scsi_Host *host;
@@ -3933,6 +3941,7 @@ struct qla_tgt_counters {
 		uint32_t	fw_tgt_reported:1;
 		uint32_t	bbcr_enable:1;
 		uint32_t	qpairs_available:1;
+		uint32_t	iocb_work_sheduled:1;
 	} flags;
 
 	atomic_t	loop_state;
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_gbl.h b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_gbl.h
index b3d6441..862d5f5 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_gbl.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_gbl.h
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ extern struct scsi_qla_host *qla2x00_create_host(struct scsi_host_template *,
 void qla2x00_handle_login_done_event(struct scsi_qla_host *, fc_port_t *,
 	uint16_t *);
 int qla24xx_post_gnl_work(struct scsi_qla_host *, fc_port_t *);
+void qla2x00_schedule_work(struct scsi_qla_host *);
 
 /*
  * Global Functions in qla_mid.c source file.
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
index f654314..9f3db52 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
@@ -3212,6 +3212,7 @@ void qla2x00_fcport_event_handler(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, struct event_arg *ea)
 	} else {
 		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_init, vha, 0x00d3,
 		    "Init Firmware -- success.\n");
+		ha->flags.fw_started = 1;
 	}
 
 	return (rval);
@@ -4036,6 +4037,7 @@ static void qla2xxx_nvram_wwn_from_ofw(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, nvram_t *nv)
 			atomic_set(&vha->loop_state, LOOP_READY);
 			ql_dbg(ql_dbg_disc, vha, 0x2069,
 			    "LOOP READY.\n");
+			ha->flags.fw_init_done = 1;
 
 			/*
 			 * Process any ATIO queue entries that came in
@@ -5526,6 +5528,11 @@ int qla2x00_perform_loop_resync(scsi_qla_host_t *ha)
 	if (!(IS_P3P_TYPE(ha)))
 		ha->isp_ops->reset_chip(vha);
 
+	ha->flags.n2n_ae = 0;
+	ha->flags.lip_ae = 0;
+	ha->current_topology = 0;
+	ha->flags.fw_started = 0;
+	ha->flags.fw_init_done = 0;
 	ha->chip_reset++;
 
 	atomic_set(&vha->loop_down_timer, LOOP_DOWN_TIME);
@@ -6802,6 +6809,8 @@ uint8_t qla27xx_find_valid_image(struct scsi_qla_host *vha)
 		return;
 	if (!ha->fw_major_version)
 		return;
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started)
+		return;
 
 	ret = qla2x00_stop_firmware(vha);
 	for (retries = 5; ret != QLA_SUCCESS && ret != QLA_FUNCTION_TIMEOUT &&
@@ -6815,6 +6824,9 @@ uint8_t qla27xx_find_valid_image(struct scsi_qla_host *vha)
 		    "Attempting retry of stop-firmware command.\n");
 		ret = qla2x00_stop_firmware(vha);
 	}
+
+	ha->flags.fw_started = 0;
+	ha->flags.fw_init_done = 0;
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_isr.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_isr.c
index 0266380..fb1c39c 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_isr.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_isr.c
@@ -712,6 +712,8 @@ static void qla_irq_affinity_notify(struct irq_affinity_notify *,
 		    "mbx7=%xh.\n", mb[1], mb[2], mb[3], mbx);
 
 		ha->isp_ops->fw_dump(vha, 1);
+		ha->flags.fw_init_done = 0;
+		ha->flags.fw_started = 0;
 
 		if (IS_FWI2_CAPABLE(ha)) {
 			if (mb[1] == 0 && mb[2] == 0) {
@@ -765,6 +767,9 @@ static void qla_irq_affinity_notify(struct irq_affinity_notify *,
 		break;
 
 	case MBA_LIP_OCCURRED:		/* Loop Initialization Procedure */
+		ha->flags.lip_ae = 1;
+		ha->flags.n2n_ae = 0;
+
 		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_async, vha, 0x5009,
 		    "LIP occurred (%x).\n", mb[1]);
 
@@ -801,6 +806,10 @@ static void qla_irq_affinity_notify(struct irq_affinity_notify *,
 		break;
 
 	case MBA_LOOP_DOWN:		/* Loop Down Event */
+		ha->flags.n2n_ae = 0;
+		ha->flags.lip_ae = 0;
+		ha->current_topology = 0;
+
 		mbx = (IS_QLA81XX(ha) || IS_QLA8031(ha))
 			? RD_REG_WORD(&reg24->mailbox4) : 0;
 		mbx = (IS_P3P_TYPE(ha)) ? RD_REG_WORD(&reg82->mailbox_out[4])
@@ -870,6 +879,9 @@ static void qla_irq_affinity_notify(struct irq_affinity_notify *,
 
 	/* case MBA_DCBX_COMPLETE: */
 	case MBA_POINT_TO_POINT:	/* Point-to-Point */
+		ha->flags.lip_ae = 0;
+		ha->flags.n2n_ae = 1;
+
 		if (IS_QLA2100(ha))
 			break;
 
@@ -2695,7 +2707,7 @@ void qla24xx_process_response_queue(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 	struct sts_entry_24xx *pkt;
 	struct qla_hw_data *ha = vha->hw;
 
-	if (!vha->flags.online)
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started)
 		return;
 
 	if (rsp->msix && rsp->msix->cpuid != smp_processor_id()) {
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
index 0c92e54..db32822 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
@@ -3614,11 +3614,11 @@ struct tsk_mgmt_cmd {
 
 	if (rptid_entry->format == 0) {
 		/* loop */
-		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_mbx + ql_dbg_verbose, vha, 0x10b7,
+		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_async, vha, 0x10b7,
 		    "Format 0 : Number of VPs setup %d, number of "
 		    "VPs acquired %d.\n", rptid_entry->vp_setup,
 		    rptid_entry->vp_acquired);
-		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_mbx + ql_dbg_verbose, vha, 0x10b8,
+		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_async, vha, 0x10b8,
 		    "Primary port id %02x%02x%02x.\n",
 		    rptid_entry->port_id[2], rptid_entry->port_id[1],
 		    rptid_entry->port_id[0]);
@@ -3633,7 +3633,7 @@ struct tsk_mgmt_cmd {
 
 	} else if (rptid_entry->format == 1) {
 		/* fabric */
-		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_mbx + ql_dbg_verbose, vha, 0x10b9,
+		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_async, vha, 0x10b9,
 		    "Format 1: VP[%d] enabled - status %d - with "
 		    "port id %02x%02x%02x.\n", rptid_entry->vp_idx,
 			rptid_entry->vp_status,
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
index 817c594..291fc74 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
@@ -4322,7 +4322,11 @@ struct qla_work_evt *
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&vha->work_lock, flags);
 	list_add_tail(&e->list, &vha->work_list);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&vha->work_lock, flags);
-	qla2xxx_wake_dpc(vha);
+
+	if (QLA_EARLY_LINKUP(vha->hw))
+		qla2x00_schedule_work(vha);
+	else
+		qla2xxx_wake_dpc(vha);
 
 	return QLA_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -4572,6 +4576,45 @@ void qla24xx_create_new_sess(struct scsi_qla_host *vha, struct qla_work_evt *e)
 	}
 }
 
+static void qla2x00_iocb_work_fn(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct scsi_qla_host *vha = container_of(work,
+		struct scsi_qla_host, iocb_work);
+	unsigned long flags;
+	int cnt = 0;
+
+	while (!list_empty(&vha->work_list)) {
+		qla2x00_do_work(vha);
+		cnt++;
+		if (cnt > 10)
+			break;
+	}
+
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&vha->work_lock, flags);
+	vha->flags.iocb_work_sheduled = 0;
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&vha->work_lock, flags);
+}
+
+void qla2x00_schedule_work(struct scsi_qla_host *vha)
+{
+	unsigned long flags;
+
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&vha->work_lock, flags);
+	if (vha->flags.iocb_work_sheduled) {
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&vha->work_lock, flags);
+		return;
+	}
+	vha->flags.iocb_work_sheduled = 1;
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&vha->work_lock, flags);
+
+	/*
+	 * We're in the middle of bringing up the adapter.
+	 * the scheduled work need to go out now.
+	 */
+	INIT_WORK(&vha->iocb_work, qla2x00_iocb_work_fn);
+	schedule_work(&vha->iocb_work);
+}
+
 /* Relogins all the fcports of a vport
  * Context: dpc thread
  */
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_target.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_target.c
index edfdea8..270e01c 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_target.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_target.c
@@ -613,6 +613,7 @@ int qla24xx_async_notify_ack(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, fc_port_t *fcport,
 		break;
 	case SRB_NACK_PRLI:
 		fcport->fw_login_state = DSC_LS_PRLI_PEND;
+		fcport->deleted = 0;
 		c = "PRLI";
 		break;
 	case SRB_NACK_LOGO:
@@ -1551,6 +1552,9 @@ static void qlt_send_notify_ack(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 	request_t *pkt;
 	struct nack_to_isp *nack;
 
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started)
+		return;
+
 	ql_dbg(ql_dbg_tgt, vha, 0xe004, "Sending NOTIFY_ACK (ha=%p)\n", ha);
 
 	/* Send marker if required */
@@ -2906,7 +2910,7 @@ int qlt_xmit_response(struct qla_tgt_cmd *cmd, int xmit_type,
 	else
 		vha->tgt_counters.core_qla_que_buf++;
 
-	if (!vha->flags.online || cmd->reset_count != ha->chip_reset) {
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started || cmd->reset_count != ha->chip_reset) {
 		/*
 		 * Either the port is not online or this request was from
 		 * previous life, just abort the processing.
@@ -3047,7 +3051,7 @@ int qlt_rdy_to_xfer(struct qla_tgt_cmd *cmd)
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&ha->hardware_lock, flags);
 
-	if (!vha->flags.online || (cmd->reset_count != ha->chip_reset) ||
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started || (cmd->reset_count != ha->chip_reset) ||
 	    (cmd->sess && cmd->sess->deleted)) {
 		/*
 		 * Either the port is not online or this request was from
@@ -3251,7 +3255,7 @@ static int __qlt_send_term_imm_notif(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 	ql_dbg(ql_dbg_tgt_tmr, vha, 0xe01c,
 	    "Sending TERM ELS CTIO (ha=%p)\n", ha);
 
-	pkt = (request_t *)qla2x00_alloc_iocbs_ready(vha, NULL);
+	pkt = (request_t *)qla2x00_alloc_iocbs(vha, NULL);
 	if (pkt == NULL) {
 		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_tgt, vha, 0xe080,
 		    "qla_target(%d): %s failed: unable to allocate "
@@ -4581,7 +4585,8 @@ static int qlt_24xx_handle_els(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 		}
 
 		if (sess != NULL) {
-			if (sess->fw_login_state == DSC_LS_PLOGI_PEND) {
+			if ((sess->fw_login_state != DSC_LS_PLOGI_PEND) &&
+			    (sess->fw_login_state != DSC_LS_PLOGI_COMP)) {
 				/*
 				 * Impatient initiator sent PRLI before last
 				 * PLOGI could finish. Will force him to re-try,
@@ -4620,15 +4625,23 @@ static int qlt_24xx_handle_els(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 
 		/* Make session global (not used in fabric mode) */
 		if (ha->current_topology != ISP_CFG_F) {
-			set_bit(LOOP_RESYNC_NEEDED, &vha->dpc_flags);
-			set_bit(LOCAL_LOOP_UPDATE, &vha->dpc_flags);
-			qla2xxx_wake_dpc(vha);
+			if (sess) {
+				ql_dbg(ql_dbg_disc, vha, 0xffff,
+				    "%s %d %8phC post nack\n",
+				    __func__, __LINE__, sess->port_name);
+				qla24xx_post_nack_work(vha, sess, iocb,
+					SRB_NACK_PRLI);
+				res = 0;
+			} else {
+				set_bit(LOOP_RESYNC_NEEDED, &vha->dpc_flags);
+				set_bit(LOCAL_LOOP_UPDATE, &vha->dpc_flags);
+				qla2xxx_wake_dpc(vha);
+			}
 		} else {
 			if (sess) {
 				ql_dbg(ql_dbg_disc, vha, 0xffff,
-					   "%s %d %8phC post nack\n",
-					   __func__, __LINE__, sess->port_name);
-
+				    "%s %d %8phC post nack\n",
+				    __func__, __LINE__, sess->port_name);
 				qla24xx_post_nack_work(vha, sess, iocb,
 					SRB_NACK_PRLI);
 				res = 0;
@@ -4636,7 +4649,6 @@ static int qlt_24xx_handle_els(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 		}
 		break;
 
-
 	case ELS_TPRLO:
 		if (le16_to_cpu(iocb->u.isp24.flags) &
 			NOTIFY24XX_FLAGS_GLOBAL_TPRLO) {
@@ -5100,7 +5112,7 @@ static void qlt_24xx_atio_pkt(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	if (unlikely(tgt == NULL)) {
-		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_io, vha, 0x3064,
+		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_tgt, vha, 0x3064,
 		    "ATIO pkt, but no tgt (ha %p)", ha);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -6231,7 +6243,7 @@ static void qlt_disable_vha(struct scsi_qla_host *vha)
 	struct atio_from_isp *pkt;
 	int cnt, i;
 
-	if (!vha->flags.online)
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started)
 		return;
 
 	while ((ha->tgt.atio_ring_ptr->signature != ATIO_PROCESSED) ||
