diff --git a/drivers/net/e1000e/e1000.h b/drivers/net/e1000e/e1000.h
index f0c48a2a6799549accbc11e9db9aa124dba8ff04..8087bda9721856b88b338737aa4a039a55626802 100644
--- a/drivers/net/e1000e/e1000.h
+++ b/drivers/net/e1000e/e1000.h
@@ -284,6 +284,8 @@ struct e1000_adapter {
 	unsigned long led_status;
 
 	unsigned int flags;
+	struct work_struct downshift_task;
+	struct work_struct update_phy_task;
 };
 
 struct e1000_info {
diff --git a/drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c b/drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c
index 1f767feda9a7e25f34f5ecb3f090dfbf1b982e7d..803545b2fc8c79fa4593ee63f2c4a1453cd790f2 100644
--- a/drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c
@@ -1115,6 +1115,14 @@ static void e1000_clean_rx_ring(struct e1000_adapter *adapter)
 	writel(0, adapter->hw.hw_addr + rx_ring->tail);
 }
 
+static void e1000e_downshift_workaround(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct e1000_adapter *adapter = container_of(work,
+					struct e1000_adapter, downshift_task);
+
+	e1000e_gig_downshift_workaround_ich8lan(&adapter->hw);
+}
+
 /**
  * e1000_intr_msi - Interrupt Handler
  * @irq: interrupt number
@@ -1139,7 +1147,7 @@ static irqreturn_t e1000_intr_msi(int irq, void *data)
 		 */
 		if ((adapter->flags & FLAG_LSC_GIG_SPEED_DROP) &&
 		    (!(er32(STATUS) & E1000_STATUS_LU)))
-			e1000e_gig_downshift_workaround_ich8lan(hw);
+			schedule_work(&adapter->downshift_task);
 
 		/*
 		 * 80003ES2LAN workaround-- For packet buffer work-around on
@@ -1205,7 +1213,7 @@ static irqreturn_t e1000_intr(int irq, void *data)
 		 */
 		if ((adapter->flags & FLAG_LSC_GIG_SPEED_DROP) &&
 		    (!(er32(STATUS) & E1000_STATUS_LU)))
-			e1000e_gig_downshift_workaround_ich8lan(hw);
+			schedule_work(&adapter->downshift_task);
 
 		/*
 		 * 80003ES2LAN workaround--
@@ -2912,6 +2920,21 @@ static int e1000_set_mac(struct net_device *netdev, void *p)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * e1000e_update_phy_task - work thread to update phy
+ * @work: pointer to our work struct
+ *
+ * this worker thread exists because we must acquire a
+ * semaphore to read the phy, which we could msleep while
+ * waiting for it, and we can't msleep in a timer.
+ **/
+static void e1000e_update_phy_task(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct e1000_adapter *adapter = container_of(work,
+					struct e1000_adapter, update_phy_task);
+	e1000_get_phy_info(&adapter->hw);
+}
+
 /*
  * Need to wait a few seconds after link up to get diagnostic information from
  * the phy
@@ -2919,7 +2942,7 @@ static int e1000_set_mac(struct net_device *netdev, void *p)
 static void e1000_update_phy_info(unsigned long data)
 {
 	struct e1000_adapter *adapter = (struct e1000_adapter *) data;
-	e1000_get_phy_info(&adapter->hw);
+	schedule_work(&adapter->update_phy_task);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -4578,6 +4601,8 @@ static int __devinit e1000_probe(struct pci_dev *pdev,
 
 	INIT_WORK(&adapter->reset_task, e1000_reset_task);
 	INIT_WORK(&adapter->watchdog_task, e1000_watchdog_task);
+	INIT_WORK(&adapter->downshift_task, e1000e_downshift_workaround);
+	INIT_WORK(&adapter->update_phy_task, e1000e_update_phy_task);
 
 	/* Initialize link parameters. User can change them with ethtool */
 	adapter->hw.mac.autoneg = 1;