spinlock_t              rx_mode_wq_lock;
        /* workqueue for handling kernel ndo_set_rx_mode() calls */
        struct workqueue_struct *nicvf_rx_mode_wq;
+       /* mutex to protect VF's mailbox contents from concurrent access */
+       struct mutex            rx_mode_mtx;
 
        /* PTP timestamp */
        struct cavium_ptp       *ptp_clock;
 
 {
        int timeout = NIC_MBOX_MSG_TIMEOUT;
        int sleep = 10;
+       int ret = 0;
+
+       mutex_lock(&nic->rx_mode_mtx);
 
        nic->pf_acked = false;
        nic->pf_nacked = false;
                        netdev_err(nic->netdev,
                                   "PF NACK to mbox msg 0x%02x from VF%d\n",
                                   (mbx->msg.msg & 0xFF), nic->vf_id);
-                       return -EINVAL;
+                       ret = -EINVAL;
+                       break;
                }
                msleep(sleep);
                if (nic->pf_acked)
                        netdev_err(nic->netdev,
                                   "PF didn't ACK to mbox msg 0x%02x from VF%d\n",
                                   (mbx->msg.msg & 0xFF), nic->vf_id);
-                       return -EBUSY;
+                       ret = -EBUSY;
+                       break;
                }
        }
-       return 0;
+       mutex_unlock(&nic->rx_mode_mtx);
+       return ret;
 }
 
 /* Checks if VF is able to comminicate with PF
                                                        nic->vf_id);
        INIT_WORK(&nic->rx_mode_work.work, nicvf_set_rx_mode_task);
        spin_lock_init(&nic->rx_mode_wq_lock);
+       mutex_init(&nic->rx_mode_mtx);
 
        err = register_netdev(netdev);
        if (err) {