diff --git a/drivers/scsi/aha1542.c b/drivers/scsi/aha1542.c
index b4ada244bcb2..7bf4604ede47 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/aha1542.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/aha1542.c
@@ -151,41 +151,42 @@ static inline bool wait_mask(u16 port, u8 mask, u8 allof, u8 noneof, int timeout
    routine does not send something out while we are in the middle of this.
    Fortunately, it is only at boot time that multi-byte messages
    are ever sent. */
+static int aha1542_outb(unsigned int base, u8 cmd)
+{
+	unsigned long flags;
+
+	while (1) {
+		if (!wait_mask(STATUS(base), CDF, 0, CDF, 0)) {
+			printk(KERN_ERR "aha1542_outb failed");
+			return 1;
+		}
+		spin_lock_irqsave(&aha1542_lock, flags);
+		if (inb(STATUS(base)) & CDF) {
+			spin_unlock_irqrestore(&aha1542_lock, flags);
+			continue;
+		}
+		outb(cmd, DATA(base));
+		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&aha1542_lock, flags);
+		return 0;
+	}
+}
+
 static int aha1542_out(unsigned int base, u8 *cmdp, int len)
 {
-	unsigned long flags = 0;
-	int got_lock;
+	unsigned long flags;
 
-	if (len == 1) {
-		got_lock = 0;
-		while (1 == 1) {
-			if (!wait_mask(STATUS(base), CDF, 0, CDF, 0))
-				goto fail;
-			spin_lock_irqsave(&aha1542_lock, flags);
-			if (inb(STATUS(base)) & CDF) {
-				spin_unlock_irqrestore(&aha1542_lock, flags);
-				continue;
-			}
-			outb(*cmdp, DATA(base));
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&aha1542_lock, flags);
+	while (len--) {
+		if (!wait_mask(STATUS(base), CDF, 0, CDF, 0)) {
 			spin_unlock_irqrestore(&aha1542_lock, flags);
-			return 0;
+			printk(KERN_ERR "aha1542_out failed(%d): ", len + 1);
+			return 1;
 		}
-	} else {
-		spin_lock_irqsave(&aha1542_lock, flags);
-		got_lock = 1;
-		while (len--) {
-			if (!wait_mask(STATUS(base), CDF, 0, CDF, 0))
-				goto fail;
-			outb(*cmdp++, DATA(base));
-		}
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&aha1542_lock, flags);
+		outb(*cmdp++, DATA(base));
 	}
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&aha1542_lock, flags);
+
 	return 0;
-fail:
-	if (got_lock)
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&aha1542_lock, flags);
-	printk(KERN_ERR "aha1542_out failed(%d): ", len + 1);
-	return 1;
 }
 
 /* Only used at boot time, so we do not need to worry about latency as much
@@ -268,7 +269,6 @@ static int makecode(unsigned hosterr, unsigned scsierr)
 
 static int aha1542_test_port(int bse, struct Scsi_Host *shpnt)
 {
-	u8 inquiry_cmd[] = {CMD_INQUIRY};
 	u8 inquiry_result[4];
 	u8 *cmdp;
 	int len;
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ static int aha1542_test_port(int bse, struct Scsi_Host *shpnt)
 	/* Perform a host adapter inquiry instead so we do not need to set
 	   up the mailboxes ahead of time */
 
-	aha1542_out(bse, inquiry_cmd, 1);
+	aha1542_outb(bse, CMD_INQUIRY);
 
 	debug = 3;
 	len = 4;
@@ -527,7 +527,6 @@ static irqreturn_t do_aha1542_intr_handle(int dummy, void *dev_id)
 static int aha1542_queuecommand_lck(Scsi_Cmnd * SCpnt, void (*done) (Scsi_Cmnd *))
 {
 	struct aha1542_hostdata *aha1542 = shost_priv(SCpnt->device->host);
-	u8 ahacmd = CMD_START_SCSI;
 	u8 direction;
 	u8 *cmd = (u8 *) SCpnt->cmnd;
 	u8 target = SCpnt->device->id;
@@ -666,7 +665,7 @@ static int aha1542_queuecommand_lck(Scsi_Cmnd * SCpnt, void (*done) (Scsi_Cmnd *
 		DEB(printk("aha1542_queuecommand: now waiting for interrupt "));
 		SCpnt->scsi_done = done;
 		mb[mbo].status = 1;
-		aha1542_out(SCpnt->device->host->io_port, &ahacmd, 1);	/* start scsi command */
+		aha1542_outb(SCpnt->device->host->io_port, CMD_START_SCSI);
 	} else
 		printk("aha1542_queuecommand: done can't be NULL\n");
 
@@ -703,14 +702,13 @@ fail:
 
 static int aha1542_getconfig(int base_io, unsigned char *irq_level, unsigned char *dma_chan, unsigned char *scsi_id)
 {
-	u8 inquiry_cmd[] = {CMD_RETCONF};
 	u8 inquiry_result[3];
 	int i;
 	i = inb(STATUS(base_io));
 	if (i & DF) {
 		i = inb(DATA(base_io));
 	};
-	aha1542_out(base_io, inquiry_cmd, 1);
+	aha1542_outb(base_io, CMD_RETCONF);
 	aha1542_in(base_io, inquiry_result, 3, 0);
 	if (!wait_mask(INTRFLAGS(base_io), INTRMASK, HACC, 0, 0))
 		goto fail;
@@ -779,8 +777,7 @@ static int aha1542_mbenable(int base)
 
 	retval = BIOS_TRANSLATION_6432;
 
-	mbenable_cmd[0] = CMD_EXTBIOS;
-	aha1542_out(base, mbenable_cmd, 1);
+	aha1542_outb(base, CMD_EXTBIOS);
 	if (aha1542_in(base, mbenable_result, 2, 100))
 		return retval;
 	if (!wait_mask(INTRFLAGS(base), INTRMASK, HACC, 0, 100))
@@ -810,14 +807,13 @@ fail:
 /* Query the board to find out if it is a 1542 or a 1740, or whatever. */
 static int aha1542_query(int base_io, int *transl)
 {
-	u8 inquiry_cmd[] = {CMD_INQUIRY};
 	u8 inquiry_result[4];
 	int i;
 	i = inb(STATUS(base_io));
 	if (i & DF) {
 		i = inb(DATA(base_io));
 	};
-	aha1542_out(base_io, inquiry_cmd, 1);
+	aha1542_outb(base_io, CMD_INQUIRY);
 	aha1542_in(base_io, inquiry_result, 4, 0);
 	if (!wait_mask(INTRFLAGS(base_io), INTRMASK, HACC, 0, 0))
 		goto fail;
@@ -1079,7 +1075,6 @@ static int aha1542_dev_reset(Scsi_Cmnd * SCpnt)
 	u8 lun = SCpnt->device->lun;
 	int mbo;
 	struct ccb *ccb = aha1542->ccb;
-	u8 ahacmd = CMD_START_SCSI;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&aha1542_lock, flags);
 	mbo = aha1542->aha1542_last_mbo_used + 1;
@@ -1119,7 +1114,7 @@ static int aha1542_dev_reset(Scsi_Cmnd * SCpnt)
 	 * Now tell the 1542 to flush all pending commands for this 
 	 * target 
 	 */
-	aha1542_out(SCpnt->device->host->io_port, &ahacmd, 1);
+	aha1542_outb(SCpnt->device->host->io_port, CMD_START_SCSI);
 
 	scmd_printk(KERN_WARNING, SCpnt,
 		"Trying device reset for target\n");