__be16  rx_buf[TI_ADS7950_MAX_CHAN + TI_ADS7950_TIMESTAMP_SIZE]
                                                        ____cacheline_aligned;
        __be16  tx_buf[TI_ADS7950_MAX_CHAN];
+       __be16                  single_tx;
+       __be16                  single_rx;
+
 };
 
 struct ti_ads7950_chip_info {
        return IRQ_HANDLED;
 }
 
-static int ti_ads7950_scan_direct(struct ti_ads7950_state *st, unsigned int ch)
+static int ti_ads7950_scan_direct(struct iio_dev *indio_dev, unsigned int ch)
 {
+       struct ti_ads7950_state *st = iio_priv(indio_dev);
        int ret, cmd;
 
+       mutex_lock(&indio_dev->mlock);
+
        cmd = TI_ADS7950_CR_WRITE | TI_ADS7950_CR_CHAN(ch) | st->settings;
-       st->tx_buf[0] = cpu_to_be16(cmd);
+       st->single_tx = cpu_to_be16(cmd);
 
        ret = spi_sync(st->spi, &st->scan_single_msg);
        if (ret)
-               return ret;
+               goto out;
+
+       ret = be16_to_cpu(st->single_rx);
 
-       return be16_to_cpu(st->rx_buf[0]);
+out:
+       mutex_unlock(&indio_dev->mlock);
+
+       return ret;
 }
 
 static int ti_ads7950_get_range(struct ti_ads7950_state *st)
 
        switch (m) {
        case IIO_CHAN_INFO_RAW:
-
-               ret = iio_device_claim_direct_mode(indio_dev);
-               if (ret < 0)
-                       return ret;
-
-               ret = ti_ads7950_scan_direct(st, chan->address);
-               iio_device_release_direct_mode(indio_dev);
+               ret = ti_ads7950_scan_direct(indio_dev, chan->address);
                if (ret < 0)
                        return ret;
 
         * was read at the end of the first transfer.
         */
 
-       st->scan_single_xfer[0].tx_buf = &st->tx_buf[0];
+       st->scan_single_xfer[0].tx_buf = &st->single_tx;
        st->scan_single_xfer[0].len = 2;
        st->scan_single_xfer[0].cs_change = 1;
-       st->scan_single_xfer[1].tx_buf = &st->tx_buf[0];
+       st->scan_single_xfer[1].tx_buf = &st->single_tx;
        st->scan_single_xfer[1].len = 2;
        st->scan_single_xfer[1].cs_change = 1;
-       st->scan_single_xfer[2].rx_buf = &st->rx_buf[0];
+       st->scan_single_xfer[2].rx_buf = &st->single_rx;
        st->scan_single_xfer[2].len = 2;
 
        spi_message_init_with_transfers(&st->scan_single_msg,