diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ef10.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ef10.c
index fa1a872c4bc8303c477d9613accfb78dd21150f8..5b7413305be6330f1ff4f579af3fd4a816016474 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ef10.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ef10.c
@@ -1916,7 +1916,10 @@ static int efx_ef10_try_update_nic_stats_vf(struct efx_nic *efx)
 
 	efx_update_sw_stats(efx, stats);
 out:
+	/* releasing a DMA coherent buffer with BH disabled can panic */
+	spin_unlock_bh(&efx->stats_lock);
 	efx_nic_free_buffer(efx, &stats_buf);
+	spin_lock_bh(&efx->stats_lock);
 	return rc;
 }