diff --git a/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/adapter.h b/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/adapter.h
index 1c7c8afe16..97963422bf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/adapter.h
+++ b/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/adapter.h
@@ -291,8 +291,6 @@ struct sge {
 	u32 fl_starve_thres;        /* Free List starvation threshold */
 };
 
-#define T4_OS_NEEDS_MBOX_LOCKING 1
-
 /*
  * OS Lock/List primitives for those interfaces in the Common Code which
  * need this.
diff --git a/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/t4_hw.c b/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/t4_hw.c
index cdcd7e5510..645833765a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/t4_hw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/t4_hw.c
@@ -263,17 +263,6 @@ static void fw_asrt(struct adapter *adap, u32 mbox_addr)
 
 #define X_CIM_PF_NOACCESS 0xeeeeeeee
 
-/*
- * If the Host OS Driver needs locking arround accesses to the mailbox, this
- * can be turned on via the T4_OS_NEEDS_MBOX_LOCKING CPP define ...
- */
-/* makes single-statement usage a bit cleaner ... */
-#ifdef T4_OS_NEEDS_MBOX_LOCKING
-#define T4_OS_MBOX_LOCKING(x) x
-#else
-#define T4_OS_MBOX_LOCKING(x) do {} while (0)
-#endif
-
 /**
  * t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout - send a command to FW through the given mailbox
  * @adap: the adapter
@@ -314,28 +303,17 @@ int t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout(struct adapter *adap, int mbox,
 		1, 1, 3, 5, 10, 10, 20, 50, 100
 	};
 
-	u32 v;
-	u64 res;
-	int i, ms;
-	unsigned int delay_idx;
-	__be64 *temp = (__be64 *)malloc(size * sizeof(char));
-	__be64 *p = temp;
 	u32 data_reg = PF_REG(mbox, A_CIM_PF_MAILBOX_DATA);
 	u32 ctl_reg = PF_REG(mbox, A_CIM_PF_MAILBOX_CTRL);
-	u32 ctl;
-	struct mbox_entry entry;
-	u32 pcie_fw = 0;
-
-	if (!temp)
-		return -ENOMEM;
+	struct mbox_entry *entry;
+	u32 v, ctl, pcie_fw = 0;
+	unsigned int delay_idx;
+	const __be64 *p;
+	int i, ms, ret;
+	u64 res;
 
-	if ((size & 15) || size > MBOX_LEN) {
-		free(temp);
+	if ((size & 15) != 0 || size > MBOX_LEN)
 		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
-	memset(p, 0, size);
-	memcpy(p, (const __be64 *)cmd, size);
 
 	/*
 	 * If we have a negative timeout, that implies that we can't sleep.
@@ -345,14 +323,17 @@ int t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout(struct adapter *adap, int mbox,
 		timeout = -timeout;
 	}
 
-#ifdef T4_OS_NEEDS_MBOX_LOCKING
+	entry = t4_os_alloc(sizeof(*entry));
+	if (entry == NULL)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	/*
 	 * Queue ourselves onto the mailbox access list.  When our entry is at
 	 * the front of the list, we have rights to access the mailbox.  So we
 	 * wait [for a while] till we're at the front [or bail out with an
 	 * EBUSY] ...
 	 */
-	t4_os_atomic_add_tail(&entry, &adap->mbox_list, &adap->mbox_lock);
+	t4_os_atomic_add_tail(entry, &adap->mbox_list, &adap->mbox_lock);
 
 	delay_idx = 0;
 	ms = delay[0];
@@ -367,18 +348,18 @@ int t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout(struct adapter *adap, int mbox,
 		 */
 		pcie_fw = t4_read_reg(adap, A_PCIE_FW);
 		if (i > 4 * timeout || (pcie_fw & F_PCIE_FW_ERR)) {
-			t4_os_atomic_list_del(&entry, &adap->mbox_list,
+			t4_os_atomic_list_del(entry, &adap->mbox_list,
 					      &adap->mbox_lock);
 			t4_report_fw_error(adap);
-			free(temp);
-			return (pcie_fw & F_PCIE_FW_ERR) ? -ENXIO : -EBUSY;
+			ret = ((pcie_fw & F_PCIE_FW_ERR) != 0) ? -ENXIO : -EBUSY;
+			goto out_free;
 		}
 
 		/*
 		 * If we're at the head, break out and start the mailbox
 		 * protocol.
 		 */
-		if (t4_os_list_first_entry(&adap->mbox_list) == &entry)
+		if (t4_os_list_first_entry(&adap->mbox_list) == entry)
 			break;
 
 		/*
@@ -393,7 +374,6 @@ int t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout(struct adapter *adap, int mbox,
 			rte_delay_ms(ms);
 		}
 	}
-#endif /* T4_OS_NEEDS_MBOX_LOCKING */
 
 	/*
 	 * Attempt to gain access to the mailbox.
@@ -410,12 +390,11 @@ int t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout(struct adapter *adap, int mbox,
 	 * mailbox atomic access list and report the error to our caller.
 	 */
 	if (v != X_MBOWNER_PL) {
-		T4_OS_MBOX_LOCKING(t4_os_atomic_list_del(&entry,
-							 &adap->mbox_list,
-							 &adap->mbox_lock));
+		t4_os_atomic_list_del(entry, &adap->mbox_list,
+				      &adap->mbox_lock);
 		t4_report_fw_error(adap);
-		free(temp);
-		return (v == X_MBOWNER_FW ? -EBUSY : -ETIMEDOUT);
+		ret = (v == X_MBOWNER_FW) ? -EBUSY : -ETIMEDOUT;
+		goto out_free;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -441,7 +420,7 @@ int t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout(struct adapter *adap, int mbox,
 	/*
 	 * Copy in the new mailbox command and send it on its way ...
 	 */
-	for (i = 0; i < size; i += 8, p++)
+	for (i = 0, p = cmd; i < size; i += 8, p++)
 		t4_write_reg64(adap, data_reg + i, be64_to_cpu(*p));
 
 	CXGBE_DEBUG_MBOX(adap, "%s: mbox %u: %016llx %016llx %016llx %016llx "
@@ -512,11 +491,10 @@ int t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout(struct adapter *adap, int mbox,
 				get_mbox_rpl(adap, rpl, size / 8, data_reg);
 			}
 			t4_write_reg(adap, ctl_reg, V_MBOWNER(X_MBOWNER_NONE));
-			T4_OS_MBOX_LOCKING(
-				t4_os_atomic_list_del(&entry, &adap->mbox_list,
-						      &adap->mbox_lock));
-			free(temp);
-			return -G_FW_CMD_RETVAL((int)res);
+			t4_os_atomic_list_del(entry, &adap->mbox_list,
+					      &adap->mbox_lock);
+			ret = -G_FW_CMD_RETVAL((int)res);
+			goto out_free;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -527,12 +505,13 @@ int t4_wr_mbox_meat_timeout(struct adapter *adap, int mbox,
 	 */
 	dev_err(adap, "command %#x in mailbox %d timed out\n",
 		*(const u8 *)cmd, mbox);
-	T4_OS_MBOX_LOCKING(t4_os_atomic_list_del(&entry,
-						 &adap->mbox_list,
-						 &adap->mbox_lock));
+	t4_os_atomic_list_del(entry, &adap->mbox_list, &adap->mbox_lock);
 	t4_report_fw_error(adap);
-	free(temp);
-	return (pcie_fw & F_PCIE_FW_ERR) ? -ENXIO : -ETIMEDOUT;
+	ret = ((pcie_fw & F_PCIE_FW_ERR) != 0) ? -ENXIO : -ETIMEDOUT;
+
+out_free:
+	t4_os_free(entry);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 int t4_wr_mbox_meat(struct adapter *adap, int mbox, const void *cmd, int size,
diff --git a/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/t4vf_hw.c b/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/t4vf_hw.c
index 561d759dbc..7dbd4deb79 100644
--- a/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/t4vf_hw.c
+++ b/drivers/net/cxgbe/base/t4vf_hw.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ int t4vf_wr_mbox_core(struct adapter *adapter,
 
 	u32 mbox_ctl = T4VF_CIM_BASE_ADDR + A_CIM_VF_EXT_MAILBOX_CTRL;
 	__be64 cmd_rpl[MBOX_LEN / 8];
-	struct mbox_entry entry;
+	struct mbox_entry *entry;
 	unsigned int delay_idx;
 	u32 v, mbox_data;
 	const __be64 *p;
@@ -106,13 +106,17 @@ int t4vf_wr_mbox_core(struct adapter *adapter,
 			size > NUM_CIM_VF_MAILBOX_DATA_INSTANCES * 4)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	entry = t4_os_alloc(sizeof(*entry));
+	if (entry == NULL)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
 	/*
 	 * Queue ourselves onto the mailbox access list.  When our entry is at
 	 * the front of the list, we have rights to access the mailbox.  So we
 	 * wait [for a while] till we're at the front [or bail out with an
 	 * EBUSY] ...
 	 */
-	t4_os_atomic_add_tail(&entry, &adapter->mbox_list, &adapter->mbox_lock);
+	t4_os_atomic_add_tail(entry, &adapter->mbox_list, &adapter->mbox_lock);
 
 	delay_idx = 0;
 	ms = delay[0];
@@ -125,17 +129,17 @@ int t4vf_wr_mbox_core(struct adapter *adapter,
 		 * contend on access to the mailbox ...
 		 */
 		if (i > (2 * FW_CMD_MAX_TIMEOUT)) {
-			t4_os_atomic_list_del(&entry, &adapter->mbox_list,
+			t4_os_atomic_list_del(entry, &adapter->mbox_list,
 					      &adapter->mbox_lock);
 			ret = -EBUSY;
-			return ret;
+			goto out_free;
 		}
 
 		/*
 		 * If we're at the head, break out and start the mailbox
 		 * protocol.
 		 */
-		if (t4_os_list_first_entry(&adapter->mbox_list) == &entry)
+		if (t4_os_list_first_entry(&adapter->mbox_list) == entry)
 			break;
 
 		/*
@@ -160,10 +164,10 @@ int t4vf_wr_mbox_core(struct adapter *adapter,
 		v = G_MBOWNER(t4_read_reg(adapter, mbox_ctl));
 
 	if (v != X_MBOWNER_PL) {
-		t4_os_atomic_list_del(&entry, &adapter->mbox_list,
+		t4_os_atomic_list_del(entry, &adapter->mbox_list,
 				      &adapter->mbox_lock);
 		ret = (v == X_MBOWNER_FW) ? -EBUSY : -ETIMEDOUT;
-		return ret;
+		goto out_free;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -224,7 +228,7 @@ int t4vf_wr_mbox_core(struct adapter *adapter,
 			get_mbox_rpl(adapter, cmd_rpl, size / 8, mbox_data);
 			t4_write_reg(adapter, mbox_ctl,
 				     V_MBOWNER(X_MBOWNER_NONE));
-			t4_os_atomic_list_del(&entry, &adapter->mbox_list,
+			t4_os_atomic_list_del(entry, &adapter->mbox_list,
 					      &adapter->mbox_lock);
 
 			/* return value in high-order host-endian word */
@@ -236,7 +240,8 @@ int t4vf_wr_mbox_core(struct adapter *adapter,
 					 & F_FW_CMD_REQUEST) == 0);
 				memcpy(rpl, cmd_rpl, size);
 			}
-			return -((int)G_FW_CMD_RETVAL(v));
+			ret = -((int)G_FW_CMD_RETVAL(v));
+			goto out_free;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -246,8 +251,11 @@ int t4vf_wr_mbox_core(struct adapter *adapter,
 	dev_err(adapter, "command %#x timed out\n",
 		*(const u8 *)cmd);
 	dev_err(adapter, "    Control = %#x\n", t4_read_reg(adapter, mbox_ctl));
-	t4_os_atomic_list_del(&entry, &adapter->mbox_list, &adapter->mbox_lock);
+	t4_os_atomic_list_del(entry, &adapter->mbox_list, &adapter->mbox_lock);
 	ret = -ETIMEDOUT;
+
+out_free:
+	t4_os_free(entry);
 	return ret;
 }
 
