{
        int index = sub->number;
        struct snd_usb_caiaqdev *dev = snd_pcm_substream_chip(sub);
+       snd_pcm_uframes_t ptr;
+
+       spin_lock(&dev->spinlock);
 
        if (dev->input_panic || dev->output_panic)
-               return SNDRV_PCM_POS_XRUN;
+               ptr = SNDRV_PCM_POS_XRUN;
 
        if (sub->stream == SNDRV_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK)
-               return bytes_to_frames(sub->runtime,
+               ptr = bytes_to_frames(sub->runtime,
                                        dev->audio_out_buf_pos[index]);
        else
-               return bytes_to_frames(sub->runtime,
+               ptr = bytes_to_frames(sub->runtime,
                                        dev->audio_in_buf_pos[index]);
+
+       spin_unlock(&dev->spinlock);
+       return ptr;
 }
 
 /* operators for both playback and capture */