hw->flags |= I40E_HW_FLAG_AQ_PHY_ACCESS_CAPABLE;
        }
 
+       /* Newer versions of firmware require lock when reading the NVM */
+       if ((hw->aq.api_maj_ver > 1) ||
+           ((hw->aq.api_maj_ver == 1) &&
+            (hw->aq.api_min_ver >= 5)))
+               hw->flags |= I40E_HW_FLAG_NVM_READ_REQUIRES_LOCK;
+
        if (hw->aq.api_maj_ver > I40E_FW_API_VERSION_MAJOR) {
                ret_code = I40E_ERR_FIRMWARE_API_VERSION;
                goto init_adminq_free_arq;
 
                hw->pf_id = (u8)(func_rid & 0x7);
 
        if (hw->mac.type == I40E_MAC_X722)
-               hw->flags |= I40E_HW_FLAG_AQ_SRCTL_ACCESS_ENABLE;
+               hw->flags |= I40E_HW_FLAG_AQ_SRCTL_ACCESS_ENABLE |
+                            I40E_HW_FLAG_NVM_READ_REQUIRES_LOCK;
 
        status = i40e_init_nvm(hw);
        return status;
 
 {
        enum i40e_status_code ret_code = I40E_SUCCESS;
 
-       ret_code = i40e_acquire_nvm(hw, I40E_RESOURCE_READ);
+       if (hw->flags & I40E_HW_FLAG_NVM_READ_REQUIRES_LOCK)
+               ret_code = i40e_acquire_nvm(hw, I40E_RESOURCE_READ);
+
        if (!ret_code) {
                if (hw->flags & I40E_HW_FLAG_AQ_SRCTL_ACCESS_ENABLE) {
                        ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word_aq(hw, offset, data);
                } else {
                        ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word_srctl(hw, offset, data);
                }
-               i40e_release_nvm(hw);
+               if (hw->flags & I40E_HW_FLAG_NVM_READ_REQUIRES_LOCK)
+                       i40e_release_nvm(hw);
        }
        return ret_code;
 }
 
 #define I40E_HW_FLAG_AQ_SRCTL_ACCESS_ENABLE BIT_ULL(0)
 #define I40E_HW_FLAG_802_1AD_CAPABLE        BIT_ULL(1)
 #define I40E_HW_FLAG_AQ_PHY_ACCESS_CAPABLE  BIT_ULL(2)
+#define I40E_HW_FLAG_NVM_READ_REQUIRES_LOCK BIT_ULL(3)
        u64 flags;
 
        /* Used in set switch config AQ command */