diff --git a/drivers/dma/tegra20-apb-dma.c b/drivers/dma/tegra20-apb-dma.c
index 81a2b5f4181f..f2ef940c4e2a 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/tegra20-apb-dma.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/tegra20-apb-dma.c
@@ -1291,7 +1291,6 @@ static void tegra_dma_free_chan_resources(struct dma_chan *dc)
 	struct tegra_dma_sg_req *sg_req;
 	struct list_head dma_desc_list;
 	struct list_head sg_req_list;
-	unsigned long flags;
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dma_desc_list);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&sg_req_list);
@@ -1299,15 +1298,14 @@ static void tegra_dma_free_chan_resources(struct dma_chan *dc)
 	dev_dbg(tdc2dev(tdc), "Freeing channel %d\n", tdc->id);
 
 	tegra_dma_terminate_all(dc);
+	tasklet_kill(&tdc->tasklet);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&tdc->lock, flags);
 	list_splice_init(&tdc->pending_sg_req, &sg_req_list);
 	list_splice_init(&tdc->free_sg_req, &sg_req_list);
 	list_splice_init(&tdc->free_dma_desc, &dma_desc_list);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&tdc->cb_desc);
 	tdc->config_init = false;
 	tdc->isr_handler = NULL;
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&tdc->lock, flags);
 
 	while (!list_empty(&dma_desc_list)) {
 		dma_desc = list_first_entry(&dma_desc_list,
@@ -1546,7 +1544,6 @@ err_irq:
 		struct tegra_dma_channel *tdc = &tdma->channels[i];
 
 		free_irq(tdc->irq, tdc);
-		tasklet_kill(&tdc->tasklet);
 	}
 
 	pm_runtime_disable(&pdev->dev);
@@ -1566,7 +1563,6 @@ static int tegra_dma_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	for (i = 0; i < tdma->chip_data->nr_channels; ++i) {
 		tdc = &tdma->channels[i];
 		free_irq(tdc->irq, tdc);
-		tasklet_kill(&tdc->tasklet);
 	}
 
 	pm_runtime_disable(&pdev->dev);