diff --git a/drivers/media/rc/gpio-ir-tx.c b/drivers/media/rc/gpio-ir-tx.c
index f33b443bfa47..c6cd2e6d8e65 100644
--- a/drivers/media/rc/gpio-ir-tx.c
+++ b/drivers/media/rc/gpio-ir-tx.c
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ struct gpio_ir {
 	struct gpio_desc *gpio;
 	unsigned int carrier;
 	unsigned int duty_cycle;
-	/* we need a spinlock to hold the cpu while transmitting */
-	spinlock_t lock;
 };
 
 static const struct of_device_id gpio_ir_tx_of_match[] = {
@@ -53,12 +51,11 @@ static int gpio_ir_tx_set_carrier(struct rc_dev *dev, u32 carrier)
 static void gpio_ir_tx_unmodulated(struct gpio_ir *gpio_ir, uint *txbuf,
 				   uint count)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
 	ktime_t edge;
 	s32 delta;
 	int i;
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&gpio_ir->lock, flags);
+	local_irq_disable();
 
 	edge = ktime_get();
 
@@ -72,14 +69,11 @@ static void gpio_ir_tx_unmodulated(struct gpio_ir *gpio_ir, uint *txbuf,
 	}
 
 	gpiod_set_value(gpio_ir->gpio, 0);
-
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&gpio_ir->lock, flags);
 }
 
 static void gpio_ir_tx_modulated(struct gpio_ir *gpio_ir, uint *txbuf,
 				 uint count)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
 	ktime_t edge;
 	/*
 	 * delta should never exceed 0.5 seconds (IR_MAX_DURATION) and on
@@ -95,7 +89,7 @@ static void gpio_ir_tx_modulated(struct gpio_ir *gpio_ir, uint *txbuf,
 	space = DIV_ROUND_CLOSEST((100 - gpio_ir->duty_cycle) *
 				  (NSEC_PER_SEC / 100), gpio_ir->carrier);
 
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&gpio_ir->lock, flags);
+	local_irq_disable();
 
 	edge = ktime_get();
 
@@ -128,19 +122,20 @@ static void gpio_ir_tx_modulated(struct gpio_ir *gpio_ir, uint *txbuf,
 			edge = last;
 		}
 	}
-
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&gpio_ir->lock, flags);
 }
 
 static int gpio_ir_tx(struct rc_dev *dev, unsigned int *txbuf,
 		      unsigned int count)
 {
 	struct gpio_ir *gpio_ir = dev->priv;
+	unsigned long flags;
 
+	local_irq_save(flags);
 	if (gpio_ir->carrier)
 		gpio_ir_tx_modulated(gpio_ir, txbuf, count);
 	else
 		gpio_ir_tx_unmodulated(gpio_ir, txbuf, count);
+	local_irq_restore(flags);
 
 	return count;
 }
@@ -176,7 +171,6 @@ static int gpio_ir_tx_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	gpio_ir->carrier = 38000;
 	gpio_ir->duty_cycle = 50;
-	spin_lock_init(&gpio_ir->lock);
 
 	rc = devm_rc_register_device(&pdev->dev, rcdev);
 	if (rc < 0)