diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_nvm.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_nvm.c
index 97e1bb30ef8a1..e2da0a2784dd6 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_nvm.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i40e/i40e_nvm.c
@@ -166,15 +166,15 @@ static i40e_status i40e_poll_sr_srctl_done_bit(struct i40e_hw *hw)
 }
 
 /**
- *  i40e_read_nvm_srctl - Reads Shadow RAM.
+ *  i40e_read_nvm_word - Reads Shadow RAM
  *  @hw: pointer to the HW structure.
  *  @offset: offset of the Shadow RAM word to read (0x000000 - 0x001FFF).
  *  @data: word read from the Shadow RAM.
  *
  *  Reads 16 bit word from the Shadow RAM using the GLNVM_SRCTL register.
  **/
-static i40e_status i40e_read_nvm_srctl(struct i40e_hw *hw, u16 offset,
-						 u16 *data)
+i40e_status i40e_read_nvm_word(struct i40e_hw *hw, u16 offset,
+					 u16 *data)
 {
 	i40e_status ret_code = I40E_ERR_TIMEOUT;
 	u32 sr_reg;
@@ -210,29 +210,6 @@ static i40e_status i40e_read_nvm_srctl(struct i40e_hw *hw, u16 offset,
 	return ret_code;
 }
 
-/**
- *  i40e_read_nvm_word - Reads Shadow RAM word.
- *  @hw: pointer to the HW structure.
- *  @offset: offset of the Shadow RAM word to read (0x000000 - 0x001FFF).
- *  @data: word read from the Shadow RAM.
- *
- *  Reads 16 bit word from the Shadow RAM. Each read is preceded
- *  with the NVM ownership taking and followed by the release.
- **/
-i40e_status i40e_read_nvm_word(struct i40e_hw *hw, u16 offset,
-					 u16 *data)
-{
-	i40e_status ret_code = 0;
-
-	ret_code = i40e_acquire_nvm(hw, I40E_RESOURCE_READ);
-	if (!ret_code) {
-		ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_srctl(hw, offset, data);
-		i40e_release_nvm(hw);
-	}
-
-	return ret_code;
-}
-
 /**
  *  i40e_read_nvm_buffer - Reads Shadow RAM buffer.
  *  @hw: pointer to the HW structure.
@@ -250,30 +227,18 @@ i40e_status i40e_read_nvm_buffer(struct i40e_hw *hw, u16 offset,
 {
 	i40e_status ret_code = 0;
 	u16 index, word;
-	u32 time;
 
-	ret_code = i40e_acquire_nvm(hw, I40E_RESOURCE_READ);
-	if (!ret_code) {
-		/* Loop thru the selected region. */
-		for (word = 0; word < *words; word++) {
-			index = offset + word;
-			ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_srctl(hw, index, &data[word]);
-			if (ret_code)
-				break;
-			/* Check if we didn't exceeded the semaphore timeout. */
-			time = rd32(hw, I40E_GLVFGEN_TIMER);
-			if (time >= hw->nvm.hw_semaphore_timeout) {
-				ret_code = I40E_ERR_TIMEOUT;
-				hw_dbg(hw, "NVM read error: timeout.\n");
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-		/* Update the number of words read from the Shadow RAM. */
-		*words = word;
-		/* Release the NVM ownership. */
-		i40e_release_nvm(hw);
+	/* Loop thru the selected region. */
+	for (word = 0; word < *words; word++) {
+		index = offset + word;
+		ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, index, &data[word]);
+		if (ret_code)
+			break;
 	}
 
+	/* Update the number of words read from the Shadow RAM. */
+	*words = word;
+
 	return ret_code;
 }
 
@@ -297,14 +262,14 @@ static i40e_status i40e_calc_nvm_checksum(struct i40e_hw *hw,
 	u32 i = 0;
 
 	/* read pointer to VPD area */
-	ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_srctl(hw, I40E_SR_VPD_PTR, &vpd_module);
+	ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, I40E_SR_VPD_PTR, &vpd_module);
 	if (ret_code) {
 		ret_code = I40E_ERR_NVM_CHECKSUM;
 		goto i40e_calc_nvm_checksum_exit;
 	}
 
 	/* read pointer to PCIe Alt Auto-load module */
-	ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_srctl(hw, I40E_SR_PCIE_ALT_AUTO_LOAD_PTR,
+	ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, I40E_SR_PCIE_ALT_AUTO_LOAD_PTR,
 				       &pcie_alt_module);
 	if (ret_code) {
 		ret_code = I40E_ERR_NVM_CHECKSUM;
@@ -331,7 +296,7 @@ static i40e_status i40e_calc_nvm_checksum(struct i40e_hw *hw,
 				break;
 		}
 
-		ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_srctl(hw, (u16)i, &word);
+		ret_code = i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, (u16)i, &word);
 		if (ret_code) {
 			ret_code = I40E_ERR_NVM_CHECKSUM;
 			goto i40e_calc_nvm_checksum_exit;
@@ -371,7 +336,7 @@ i40e_status i40e_validate_nvm_checksum(struct i40e_hw *hw,
 	/* Do not use i40e_read_nvm_word() because we do not want to take
 	 * the synchronization semaphores twice here.
 	 */
-	i40e_read_nvm_srctl(hw, I40E_SR_SW_CHECKSUM_WORD, &checksum_sr);
+	i40e_read_nvm_word(hw, I40E_SR_SW_CHECKSUM_WORD, &checksum_sr);
 
 	/* Verify read checksum from EEPROM is the same as
 	 * calculated checksum