diff --git a/sound/pci/lx6464es/lx_core.c b/sound/pci/lx6464es/lx_core.c
index e8f38e5..f3d6202 100644
--- a/sound/pci/lx6464es/lx_core.c
+++ b/sound/pci/lx6464es/lx_core.c
@@ -332,27 +332,25 @@
 int lx_dsp_get_version(struct lx6464es *chip, u32 *rdsp_version)
 {
 	u16 ret;
-	unsigned long flags;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_01_GET_SYS_CFG);
 	ret = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
 
 	*rdsp_version = chip->rmh.stat[1];
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return ret;
 }
 
 int lx_dsp_get_clock_frequency(struct lx6464es *chip, u32 *rfreq)
 {
 	u16 ret = 0;
-	unsigned long flags;
 	u32 freq_raw = 0;
 	u32 freq = 0;
 	u32 frequency = 0;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_01_GET_SYS_CFG);
 	ret = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
@@ -370,7 +368,7 @@
 			frequency = 48000;
 	}
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	*rfreq = frequency * chip->freq_ratio;
 
@@ -398,25 +396,23 @@
 
 int lx_dsp_set_granularity(struct lx6464es *chip, u32 gran)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
 	int ret;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_02_SET_GRANULARITY);
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= gran;
 
 	ret = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return ret;
 }
 
 int lx_dsp_read_async_events(struct lx6464es *chip, u32 *data)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
 	int ret;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_04_GET_EVENT);
 	chip->rmh.stat_len = 9;	/* we don't necessarily need the full length */
@@ -426,7 +422,7 @@
 	if (!ret)
 		memcpy(data, chip->rmh.stat, chip->rmh.stat_len * sizeof(u32));
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -440,18 +436,16 @@
 		     int channels)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_06_ALLOCATE_PIPE);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= channels;
 
 	err = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	if (err != 0)
 		dev_err(chip->card->dev, "could not allocate pipe\n");
@@ -462,17 +456,15 @@
 int lx_pipe_release(struct lx6464es *chip, u32 pipe, int is_capture)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_07_RELEASE_PIPE);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
 
 	err = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -481,8 +473,6 @@
 		  u32 *r_needed, u32 *r_freed, u32 *size_array)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SND_DEBUG
@@ -493,7 +483,7 @@
 	*r_needed = 0;
 	*r_freed = 0;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_08_ASK_BUFFERS);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -527,7 +517,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -535,36 +525,32 @@
 int lx_pipe_stop(struct lx6464es *chip, u32 pipe, int is_capture)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_09_STOP_PIPE);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
 
 	err = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
 static int lx_pipe_toggle_state(struct lx6464es *chip, u32 pipe, int is_capture)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_0B_TOGGLE_PIPE_STATE);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
 
 	err = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -600,11 +586,9 @@
 			 u64 *rsample_count)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_0A_GET_PIPE_SPL_COUNT);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -621,18 +605,16 @@
 			+ chip->rmh.stat[1]; /* lo part */
 	}
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
 int lx_pipe_state(struct lx6464es *chip, u32 pipe, int is_capture, u16 *rstate)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_0A_GET_PIPE_SPL_COUNT);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -644,7 +626,7 @@
 	else
 		*rstate = (chip->rmh.stat[0] >> PSTATE_OFFSET) & 0x0F;
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -686,18 +668,16 @@
 			       int is_capture, enum stream_state_t state)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_13_SET_STREAM_STATE);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= state;
 
 	err = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -706,17 +686,14 @@
 			 u32 pipe, int is_capture)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
-
 	u32 channels = runtime->channels;
 
 	if (runtime->channels != channels)
 		dev_err(chip->card->dev, "channel count mismatch: %d vs %d",
 			   runtime->channels, channels);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_0C_DEF_STREAM);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -732,7 +709,7 @@
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= channels-1;
 
 	err = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 
 	return err;
 }
@@ -741,11 +718,9 @@
 		    int *rstate)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_0E_GET_STREAM_SPL_COUNT);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -754,7 +729,7 @@
 
 	*rstate = (chip->rmh.stat[0] & SF_START) ? START_STATE : PAUSE_STATE;
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -762,11 +737,9 @@
 			      u64 *r_bytepos)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_0E_GET_STREAM_SPL_COUNT);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -777,7 +750,7 @@
 		      << 32)	     /* hi part */
 		+ chip->rmh.stat[1]; /* lo part */
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -787,11 +760,9 @@
 		   u32 *r_buffer_index)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_0F_UPDATE_BUFFER);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -828,7 +799,7 @@
 			"lx_buffer_give EB_CMD_REFUSED\n");
 
  done:
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -836,11 +807,9 @@
 		   u32 *r_buffer_size)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_11_CANCEL_BUFFER);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -852,7 +821,7 @@
 	if (err == 0)
 		*r_buffer_size = chip->rmh.stat[0]  & MASK_DATA_SIZE;
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -860,11 +829,9 @@
 		     u32 buffer_index)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	u32 pipe_cmd = PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, pipe);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_11_CANCEL_BUFFER);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= pipe_cmd;
@@ -872,7 +839,7 @@
 
 	err = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -885,12 +852,10 @@
 int lx_level_unmute(struct lx6464es *chip, int is_capture, int unmute)
 {
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
-
 	/* bit set to 1: channel muted */
 	u64 mute_mask = unmute ? 0 : 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFLLU;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	lx_message_init(&chip->rmh, CMD_0D_SET_MUTE);
 
 	chip->rmh.cmd[0] |= PIPE_INFO_TO_CMD(is_capture, 0);
@@ -904,7 +869,7 @@
 
 	err = lx_message_send_atomic(chip, &chip->rmh);
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -931,10 +896,9 @@
 		   u32 *r_levels)
 {
 	int err = 0;
-	unsigned long flags;
 	int i;
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
 
+	mutex_lock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	for (i = 0; i < channels; i += 4) {
 		u32 s0, s1, s2, s3;
 
@@ -959,7 +923,7 @@
 		r_levels += 4;
 	}
 
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->msg_lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->msg_lock);
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -1075,7 +1039,6 @@
 	struct snd_pcm_substream *substream = lx_stream->stream;
 	const unsigned int is_capture = lx_stream->is_capture;
 	int err;
-	unsigned long flags;
 
 	const u32 channels = substream->runtime->channels;
 	const u32 bytes_per_frame = channels * 3;
@@ -1095,7 +1058,7 @@
 
 	dev_dbg(chip->card->dev, "->lx_interrupt_request_new_buffer\n");
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&chip->lock, flags);
+	mutex_lock(&chip->lock);
 
 	err = lx_buffer_ask(chip, 0, is_capture, &needed, &freed, size_array);
 	dev_dbg(chip->card->dev,
@@ -1109,85 +1072,28 @@
 		    buffer_index, (unsigned long)buf, period_bytes);
 
 	lx_stream->frame_pos = next_pos;
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&chip->lock, flags);
+	mutex_unlock(&chip->lock);
 
 	return err;
 }
 
-void lx_tasklet_playback(unsigned long data)
-{
-	struct lx6464es *chip = (struct lx6464es *)data;
-	struct lx_stream *lx_stream = &chip->playback_stream;
-	int err;
-
-	dev_dbg(chip->card->dev, "->lx_tasklet_playback\n");
-
-	err = lx_interrupt_request_new_buffer(chip, lx_stream);
-	if (err < 0)
-		dev_err(chip->card->dev,
-			   "cannot request new buffer for playback\n");
-
-	snd_pcm_period_elapsed(lx_stream->stream);
-}
-
-void lx_tasklet_capture(unsigned long data)
-{
-	struct lx6464es *chip = (struct lx6464es *)data;
-	struct lx_stream *lx_stream = &chip->capture_stream;
-	int err;
-
-	dev_dbg(chip->card->dev, "->lx_tasklet_capture\n");
-	err = lx_interrupt_request_new_buffer(chip, lx_stream);
-	if (err < 0)
-		dev_err(chip->card->dev,
-			   "cannot request new buffer for capture\n");
-
-	snd_pcm_period_elapsed(lx_stream->stream);
-}
-
-
-
-static int lx_interrupt_handle_audio_transfer(struct lx6464es *chip,
-					      u64 notified_in_pipe_mask,
-					      u64 notified_out_pipe_mask)
-{
-	int err = 0;
-
-	if (notified_in_pipe_mask) {
-		dev_dbg(chip->card->dev,
-			"requesting audio transfer for capture\n");
-		tasklet_hi_schedule(&chip->tasklet_capture);
-	}
-
-	if (notified_out_pipe_mask) {
-		dev_dbg(chip->card->dev,
-			"requesting audio transfer for playback\n");
-		tasklet_hi_schedule(&chip->tasklet_playback);
-	}
-
-	return err;
-}
-
-
 irqreturn_t lx_interrupt(int irq, void *dev_id)
 {
 	struct lx6464es *chip = dev_id;
 	int async_pending, async_escmd;
 	u32 irqsrc;
-
-	spin_lock(&chip->lock);
+	bool wake_thread = false;
 
 	dev_dbg(chip->card->dev,
 		"**************************************************\n");
 
 	if (!lx_interrupt_ack(chip, &irqsrc, &async_pending, &async_escmd)) {
-		spin_unlock(&chip->lock);
 		dev_dbg(chip->card->dev, "IRQ_NONE\n");
 		return IRQ_NONE; /* this device did not cause the interrupt */
 	}
 
 	if (irqsrc & MASK_SYS_STATUS_CMD_DONE)
-		goto exit;
+		return IRQ_HANDLED;
 
 	if (irqsrc & MASK_SYS_STATUS_EOBI)
 		dev_dbg(chip->card->dev, "interrupt: EOBI\n");
@@ -1202,27 +1108,8 @@
 		dev_dbg(chip->card->dev, "interrupt: ORUN\n");
 
 	if (async_pending) {
-		u64 notified_in_pipe_mask = 0;
-		u64 notified_out_pipe_mask = 0;
-		int freq_changed;
-		int err;
-
-		/* handle async events */
-		err = lx_interrupt_handle_async_events(chip, irqsrc,
-						       &freq_changed,
-						       &notified_in_pipe_mask,
-						       &notified_out_pipe_mask);
-		if (err)
-			dev_err(chip->card->dev,
-				   "error handling async events\n");
-
-		err = lx_interrupt_handle_audio_transfer(chip,
-							 notified_in_pipe_mask,
-							 notified_out_pipe_mask
-			);
-		if (err)
-			dev_err(chip->card->dev,
-				   "error during audio transfer\n");
+		wake_thread = true;
+		chip->irqsrc = irqsrc;
 	}
 
 	if (async_escmd) {
@@ -1235,9 +1122,50 @@
 		dev_dbg(chip->card->dev, "interrupt requests escmd handling\n");
 	}
 
-exit:
-	spin_unlock(&chip->lock);
-	return IRQ_HANDLED;	/* this device caused the interrupt */
+	return wake_thread ? IRQ_WAKE_THREAD : IRQ_HANDLED;
+}
+
+irqreturn_t lx_threaded_irq(int irq, void *dev_id)
+{
+	struct lx6464es *chip = dev_id;
+	u64 notified_in_pipe_mask = 0;
+	u64 notified_out_pipe_mask = 0;
+	int freq_changed;
+	int err;
+
+	/* handle async events */
+	err = lx_interrupt_handle_async_events(chip, chip->irqsrc,
+					       &freq_changed,
+					       &notified_in_pipe_mask,
+					       &notified_out_pipe_mask);
+	if (err)
+		dev_err(chip->card->dev, "error handling async events\n");
+
+	if (notified_in_pipe_mask) {
+		struct lx_stream *lx_stream = &chip->capture_stream;
+
+		dev_dbg(chip->card->dev,
+			"requesting audio transfer for capture\n");
+		err = lx_interrupt_request_new_buffer(chip, lx_stream);
+		if (err < 0)
+			dev_err(chip->card->dev,
+				"cannot request new buffer for capture\n");
+		snd_pcm_period_elapsed(lx_stream->stream);
+	}
+
+	if (notified_out_pipe_mask) {
+		struct lx_stream *lx_stream = &chip->playback_stream;
+
+		dev_dbg(chip->card->dev,
+			"requesting audio transfer for playback\n");
+		err = lx_interrupt_request_new_buffer(chip, lx_stream);
+		if (err < 0)
+			dev_err(chip->card->dev,
+				"cannot request new buffer for playback\n");
+		snd_pcm_period_elapsed(lx_stream->stream);
+	}
+
+	return IRQ_HANDLED;
 }