diff --git a/drivers/misc/sgi-gru/gru_instructions.h b/drivers/misc/sgi-gru/gru_instructions.h
index eb9140d32e628fcec5d5aec86fe528076ec32378..3c9c06618e6adaf0b3febba4cc74d9c45356bc5c 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/sgi-gru/gru_instructions.h
+++ b/drivers/misc/sgi-gru/gru_instructions.h
@@ -623,9 +623,11 @@ static inline int gru_get_cb_substatus(void *cb)
 	return cbs->isubstatus;
 }
 
-/* Check the status of a CB. If the CB is in UPM mode, call the
- * OS to handle the UPM status.
- * Returns the CB status field value (0 for normal completion)
+/*
+ * User interface to check an instruction status. UPM and exceptions
+ * are handled automatically. However, this function does NOT wait
+ * for an active instruction to complete.
+ *
  */
 static inline int gru_check_status(void *cb)
 {
@@ -633,34 +635,31 @@ static inline int gru_check_status(void *cb)
 	int ret;
 
 	ret = cbs->istatus;
-	if (ret == CBS_CALL_OS)
+	if (ret != CBS_ACTIVE)
 		ret = gru_check_status_proc(cb);
 	return ret;
 }
 
-/* Wait for CB to complete.
- * Returns the CB status field value (0 for normal completion)
+/*
+ * User interface (via inline function) to wait for an instruction
+ * to complete. Completion status (IDLE or EXCEPTION is returned
+ * to the user. Exception due to hardware errors are automatically
+ * retried before returning an exception.
+ *
  */
 static inline int gru_wait(void *cb)
 {
-	struct gru_control_block_status *cbs = (void *)cb;
-	int ret = cbs->istatus;
-
-	if (ret != CBS_IDLE)
-		ret = gru_wait_proc(cb);
-	return ret;
+	return gru_wait_proc(cb);
 }
 
-/* Wait for CB to complete. Aborts program if error. (Note: error does NOT
+/*
+ * Wait for CB to complete. Aborts program if error. (Note: error does NOT
  * mean TLB mis - only fatal errors such as memory parity error or user
  * bugs will cause termination.
  */
 static inline void gru_wait_abort(void *cb)
 {
-	struct gru_control_block_status *cbs = (void *)cb;
-
-	if (cbs->istatus != CBS_IDLE)
-		gru_wait_abort_proc(cb);
+	gru_wait_abort_proc(cb);
 }