comedi_buf_read_free(s, bi.bytes_read);
 
                if (comedi_is_subdevice_idle(s) &&
-                   async->buf_write_count == async->buf_read_count) {
+                   comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(s) == 0) {
                        do_become_nonbusy(dev, s);
                }
        }
                new_s = comedi_read_subdevice(dev, minor);
                if (dev->attached && old_detach_count == dev->detach_count &&
                    s == new_s && new_s->async == async) {
-                       if (become_nonbusy ||
-                           async->buf_read_count - async->buf_write_count == 0)
+                       if (become_nonbusy || comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(s) == 0)
                                do_become_nonbusy(dev, s);
                }
                mutex_unlock(&dev->mutex);
 
  */
 int comedi_set_hw_dev(struct comedi_device *dev, struct device *hw_dev);
 
+static inline unsigned int comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(struct comedi_subdevice *s)
+{
+       return s->async->buf_write_count - s->async->buf_read_count;
+}
+
 unsigned int comedi_buf_write_alloc(struct comedi_subdevice *s, unsigned int n);
 unsigned int comedi_buf_write_free(struct comedi_subdevice *s, unsigned int n);
 
 
        das16m1_handler(dev, status);
        spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->spinlock, flags);
 
-       return s->async->buf_write_count - s->async->buf_read_count;
+       return comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(s);
 }
 
 static irqreturn_t das16m1_interrupt(int irq, void *d)
 
        das1800_ai_handler(dev);
        spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->spinlock, flags);
 
-       return s->async->buf_write_count - s->async->buf_read_count;
+       return comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(s);
 }
 
 static irqreturn_t das1800_interrupt(int irq, void *d)
 
 #else
        ni_sync_ai_dma(dev);
 #endif
-       count = s->async->buf_write_count - s->async->buf_read_count;
+       count = comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(s);
        spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->spinlock, flags);
 
        return count;
 
        if (devpriv->di_mite_chan)
                mite_sync_input_dma(devpriv->di_mite_chan, s);
        spin_unlock(&devpriv->mite_channel_lock);
-       count = s->async->buf_write_count - s->async->buf_read_count;
+       count = comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(s);
        spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->spinlock, irq_flags);
        return count;
 }
 
 
        spin_unlock_irqrestore(&dev->spinlock, flags);
 
-       return s->async->buf_write_count - s->async->buf_read_count;
+       return comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(s);
 }
 
 static int pcl812_ai_cancel(struct comedi_device *dev,
 
 
        cfc_handle_events(dev, s);
 
-       return s->async->buf_write_count - s->async->buf_read_count;
+       return comedi_buf_n_bytes_ready(s);
 }
 
 static int pcl816_ai_cancel(struct comedi_device *dev,