diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_main.c
index 6486ab8c8fc8..2f6361e949f0 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_main.c
@@ -10548,33 +10548,38 @@ do {									\
 
 int bnx2x_init_firmware(struct bnx2x *bp)
 {
-	const char *fw_file_name;
 	struct bnx2x_fw_file_hdr *fw_hdr;
 	int rc;
 
-	if (CHIP_IS_E1(bp))
-		fw_file_name = FW_FILE_NAME_E1;
-	else if (CHIP_IS_E1H(bp))
-		fw_file_name = FW_FILE_NAME_E1H;
-	else if (!CHIP_IS_E1x(bp))
-		fw_file_name = FW_FILE_NAME_E2;
-	else {
-		BNX2X_ERR("Unsupported chip revision\n");
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
 
-	BNX2X_DEV_INFO("Loading %s\n", fw_file_name);
+	if (!bp->firmware) {
+		const char *fw_file_name;
 
-	rc = request_firmware(&bp->firmware, fw_file_name, &bp->pdev->dev);
-	if (rc) {
-		BNX2X_ERR("Can't load firmware file %s\n", fw_file_name);
-		goto request_firmware_exit;
-	}
+		if (CHIP_IS_E1(bp))
+			fw_file_name = FW_FILE_NAME_E1;
+		else if (CHIP_IS_E1H(bp))
+			fw_file_name = FW_FILE_NAME_E1H;
+		else if (!CHIP_IS_E1x(bp))
+			fw_file_name = FW_FILE_NAME_E2;
+		else {
+			BNX2X_ERR("Unsupported chip revision\n");
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+		BNX2X_DEV_INFO("Loading %s\n", fw_file_name);
 
-	rc = bnx2x_check_firmware(bp);
-	if (rc) {
-		BNX2X_ERR("Corrupt firmware file %s\n", fw_file_name);
-		goto request_firmware_exit;
+		rc = request_firmware(&bp->firmware, fw_file_name,
+				      &bp->pdev->dev);
+		if (rc) {
+			BNX2X_ERR("Can't load firmware file %s\n",
+				  fw_file_name);
+			goto request_firmware_exit;
+		}
+
+		rc = bnx2x_check_firmware(bp);
+		if (rc) {
+			BNX2X_ERR("Corrupt firmware file %s\n", fw_file_name);
+			goto request_firmware_exit;
+		}
 	}
 
 	fw_hdr = (struct bnx2x_fw_file_hdr *)bp->firmware->data;
@@ -10630,6 +10635,7 @@ static void bnx2x_release_firmware(struct bnx2x *bp)
 	kfree(bp->init_ops);
 	kfree(bp->init_data);
 	release_firmware(bp->firmware);
+	bp->firmware = NULL;
 }
 
 
@@ -10925,6 +10931,8 @@ static void __devexit bnx2x_remove_one(struct pci_dev *pdev)
 	if (bp->doorbells)
 		iounmap(bp->doorbells);
 
+	bnx2x_release_firmware(bp);
+
 	bnx2x_free_mem_bp(bp);
 
 	free_netdev(dev);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sp.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sp.c
index 0440425c83d6..14517691f8db 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sp.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/bnx2x/bnx2x_sp.c
@@ -5380,7 +5380,7 @@ static int bnx2x_func_hw_init(struct bnx2x *bp,
 	rc = drv->init_fw(bp);
 	if (rc) {
 		BNX2X_ERR("Error loading firmware\n");
-		goto fw_init_err;
+		goto init_err;
 	}
 
 	/* Handle the beginning of COMMON_XXX pases separatelly... */
@@ -5388,25 +5388,25 @@ static int bnx2x_func_hw_init(struct bnx2x *bp,
 	case FW_MSG_CODE_DRV_LOAD_COMMON_CHIP:
 		rc = bnx2x_func_init_cmn_chip(bp, drv);
 		if (rc)
-			goto init_hw_err;
+			goto init_err;
 
 		break;
 	case FW_MSG_CODE_DRV_LOAD_COMMON:
 		rc = bnx2x_func_init_cmn(bp, drv);
 		if (rc)
-			goto init_hw_err;
+			goto init_err;
 
 		break;
 	case FW_MSG_CODE_DRV_LOAD_PORT:
 		rc = bnx2x_func_init_port(bp, drv);
 		if (rc)
-			goto init_hw_err;
+			goto init_err;
 
 		break;
 	case FW_MSG_CODE_DRV_LOAD_FUNCTION:
 		rc = bnx2x_func_init_func(bp, drv);
 		if (rc)
-			goto init_hw_err;
+			goto init_err;
 
 		break;
 	default:
@@ -5414,10 +5414,7 @@ static int bnx2x_func_hw_init(struct bnx2x *bp,
 		rc = -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-init_hw_err:
-	drv->release_fw(bp);
-
-fw_init_err:
+init_err:
 	drv->gunzip_end(bp);
 
 	/* In case of success, complete the comand immediatelly: no ramrods