diff --git a/drivers/net/cnic.c b/drivers/net/cnic.c
index 4b08b18ca5d66acb2be1f41a9f41b59b24a3d228..7c6d325b880a4574a4f2a13d9c1d1cd83aaa4446 100644
--- a/drivers/net/cnic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/cnic.c
@@ -1143,12 +1143,12 @@ static int cnic_submit_bnx2_kwqes(struct cnic_dev *dev, struct kwqe *wqes[],
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&cp->cnic_ulp_lock);
 	if (num_wqes > cnic_kwq_avail(cp) &&
-	    !(cp->cnic_local_flags & CNIC_LCL_FL_KWQ_INIT)) {
+	    !test_bit(CNIC_LCL_FL_KWQ_INIT, &cp->cnic_local_flags)) {
 		spin_unlock_bh(&cp->cnic_ulp_lock);
 		return -EAGAIN;
 	}
 
-	cp->cnic_local_flags &= ~CNIC_LCL_FL_KWQ_INIT;
+	clear_bit(CNIC_LCL_FL_KWQ_INIT, &cp->cnic_local_flags);
 
 	prod = cp->kwq_prod_idx;
 	sw_prod = prod & MAX_KWQ_IDX;
@@ -3690,7 +3690,7 @@ static int cnic_start_bnx2_hw(struct cnic_dev *dev)
 	cp->max_kwq_idx = MAX_KWQ_IDX;
 	cp->kwq_prod_idx = 0;
 	cp->kwq_con_idx = 0;
-	cp->cnic_local_flags |= CNIC_LCL_FL_KWQ_INIT;
+	set_bit(CNIC_LCL_FL_KWQ_INIT, &cp->cnic_local_flags);
 
 	if (CHIP_NUM(cp) == CHIP_NUM_5706 || CHIP_NUM(cp) == CHIP_NUM_5708)
 		cp->kwq_con_idx_ptr = &sblk->status_rx_quick_consumer_index15;
diff --git a/drivers/net/cnic.h b/drivers/net/cnic.h
index a0d853dff983a31ab9a8a1fb235c18cae3f05169..4422497249d17c8f55cab6f3940cbb12fade1149 100644
--- a/drivers/net/cnic.h
+++ b/drivers/net/cnic.h
@@ -179,9 +179,8 @@ struct cnic_local {
 #define ULP_F_CALL_PENDING	2
 	struct cnic_ulp_ops *ulp_ops[MAX_CNIC_ULP_TYPE];
 
-	/* protected by ulp_lock */
-	u32 cnic_local_flags;
-#define	CNIC_LCL_FL_KWQ_INIT	0x00000001
+	unsigned long cnic_local_flags;
+#define	CNIC_LCL_FL_KWQ_INIT		0x0
 
 	struct cnic_dev *dev;