diff --git a/drivers/scsi/smartpqi/smartpqi.h b/drivers/scsi/smartpqi/smartpqi.h
index 976bfd8c5192..8e5e2543c7cf 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/smartpqi/smartpqi.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/smartpqi/smartpqi.h
@@ -130,9 +130,12 @@ struct pqi_iu_header {
 				/* of this header */
 	__le16	response_queue_id;	/* specifies the OQ where the */
 					/* response IU is to be delivered */
-	u8	work_area[2];	/* reserved for driver use */
+	u16	driver_flags;	/* reserved for driver use */
 };
 
+/* manifest constants for pqi_iu_header.driver_flags */
+#define PQI_DRIVER_NONBLOCKABLE_REQUEST		0x1
+
 /*
  * According to the PQI spec, the IU header is only the first 4 bytes of our
  * pqi_iu_header structure.
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/smartpqi/smartpqi_init.c b/drivers/scsi/smartpqi/smartpqi_init.c
index d605ef1b9968..176c0d1ac913 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/smartpqi/smartpqi_init.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/smartpqi/smartpqi_init.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ static void pqi_start_io(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	struct pqi_io_request *io_request);
 static int pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	struct pqi_iu_header *request, unsigned int flags,
-	struct pqi_raid_error_info *error_info, unsigned long timeout_msecs);
+	struct pqi_raid_error_info *error_info);
 static int pqi_aio_submit_io(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	struct scsi_cmnd *scmd, u32 aio_handle, u8 *cdb,
 	unsigned int cdb_length, struct pqi_queue_group *queue_group,
@@ -274,33 +274,15 @@ static inline void pqi_ctrl_unblock_requests(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info)
 	scsi_unblock_requests(ctrl_info->scsi_host);
 }
 
-static unsigned long pqi_wait_if_ctrl_blocked(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
-	unsigned long timeout_msecs)
+static void pqi_wait_if_ctrl_blocked(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info)
 {
-	unsigned long remaining_msecs;
-
 	if (!pqi_ctrl_blocked(ctrl_info))
-		return timeout_msecs;
+		return;
 
 	atomic_inc(&ctrl_info->num_blocked_threads);
-
-	if (timeout_msecs == NO_TIMEOUT) {
-		wait_event(ctrl_info->block_requests_wait,
-			!pqi_ctrl_blocked(ctrl_info));
-		remaining_msecs = timeout_msecs;
-	} else {
-		unsigned long remaining_jiffies;
-
-		remaining_jiffies =
-			wait_event_timeout(ctrl_info->block_requests_wait,
-				!pqi_ctrl_blocked(ctrl_info),
-				msecs_to_jiffies(timeout_msecs));
-		remaining_msecs = jiffies_to_msecs(remaining_jiffies);
-	}
-
+	wait_event(ctrl_info->block_requests_wait,
+		!pqi_ctrl_blocked(ctrl_info));
 	atomic_dec(&ctrl_info->num_blocked_threads);
-
-	return remaining_msecs;
 }
 
 static inline void pqi_ctrl_wait_until_quiesced(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info)
@@ -511,6 +493,7 @@ static int pqi_build_raid_path_request(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 		put_unaligned_be32(cdb_length, &cdb[6]);
 		break;
 	case SA_FLUSH_CACHE:
+		request->header.driver_flags = PQI_DRIVER_NONBLOCKABLE_REQUEST;
 		request->data_direction = SOP_WRITE_FLAG;
 		cdb[0] = BMIC_WRITE;
 		cdb[6] = BMIC_FLUSH_CACHE;
@@ -605,7 +588,7 @@ static void pqi_free_io_request(struct pqi_io_request *io_request)
 
 static int pqi_send_scsi_raid_request(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info, u8 cmd,
 	u8 *scsi3addr, void *buffer, size_t buffer_length, u16 vpd_page,
-	struct pqi_raid_error_info *error_info,	unsigned long timeout_msecs)
+	struct pqi_raid_error_info *error_info)
 {
 	int rc;
 	struct pqi_raid_path_request request;
@@ -616,8 +599,7 @@ static int pqi_send_scsi_raid_request(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info, u8 cmd,
 	if (rc)
 		return rc;
 
-	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0,
-		error_info, timeout_msecs);
+	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0, error_info);
 
 	pqi_pci_unmap(ctrl_info->pci_dev, request.sg_descriptors, 1, dir);
 
@@ -630,7 +612,7 @@ static inline int pqi_send_ctrl_raid_request(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	u8 cmd, void *buffer, size_t buffer_length)
 {
 	return pqi_send_scsi_raid_request(ctrl_info, cmd, RAID_CTLR_LUNID,
-		buffer, buffer_length, 0, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+		buffer, buffer_length, 0, NULL);
 }
 
 static inline int pqi_send_ctrl_raid_with_error(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
@@ -638,7 +620,7 @@ static inline int pqi_send_ctrl_raid_with_error(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	struct pqi_raid_error_info *error_info)
 {
 	return pqi_send_scsi_raid_request(ctrl_info, cmd, RAID_CTLR_LUNID,
-		buffer, buffer_length, 0, error_info, NO_TIMEOUT);
+		buffer, buffer_length, 0, error_info);
 }
 
 static inline int pqi_identify_controller(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
@@ -660,7 +642,7 @@ static inline int pqi_scsi_inquiry(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	u8 *scsi3addr, u16 vpd_page, void *buffer, size_t buffer_length)
 {
 	return pqi_send_scsi_raid_request(ctrl_info, INQUIRY, scsi3addr,
-		buffer, buffer_length, vpd_page, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+		buffer, buffer_length, vpd_page, NULL);
 }
 
 static int pqi_identify_physical_device(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
@@ -682,8 +664,7 @@ static int pqi_identify_physical_device(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	request.cdb[2] = (u8)bmic_device_index;
 	request.cdb[9] = (u8)(bmic_device_index >> 8);
 
-	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header,
-		0, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0, NULL);
 
 	pqi_pci_unmap(ctrl_info->pci_dev, request.sg_descriptors, 1, dir);
 
@@ -740,7 +721,7 @@ static int pqi_get_advanced_raid_bypass_config(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info)
 	request.cdb[2] = BMIC_SENSE_FEATURE_IO_PAGE;
 	request.cdb[3] = BMIC_SENSE_FEATURE_IO_PAGE_AIO_SUBPAGE;
 
-	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0, NULL);
 
 	pqi_pci_unmap(ctrl_info->pci_dev, request.sg_descriptors, 1, dir);
 
@@ -1270,9 +1251,7 @@ static int pqi_get_raid_map(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	rc = pqi_send_scsi_raid_request(ctrl_info, CISS_GET_RAID_MAP,
-		device->scsi3addr, raid_map, sizeof(*raid_map),
-		0, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
-
+		device->scsi3addr, raid_map, sizeof(*raid_map), 0, NULL);
 	if (rc)
 		goto error;
 
@@ -1287,8 +1266,7 @@ static int pqi_get_raid_map(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 			return -ENOMEM;
 
 		rc = pqi_send_scsi_raid_request(ctrl_info, CISS_GET_RAID_MAP,
-			device->scsi3addr, raid_map, raid_map_size,
-			0, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+			device->scsi3addr, raid_map, raid_map_size, 0, NULL);
 		if (rc)
 			goto error;
 
@@ -3375,7 +3353,7 @@ static void pqi_event_worker(struct work_struct *work)
 	ctrl_info = container_of(work, struct pqi_ctrl_info, event_work);
 
 	pqi_ctrl_busy(ctrl_info);
-	pqi_wait_if_ctrl_blocked(ctrl_info, NO_TIMEOUT);
+	pqi_wait_if_ctrl_blocked(ctrl_info);
 	if (pqi_ctrl_offline(ctrl_info))
 		goto out;
 
@@ -4219,59 +4197,40 @@ static int pqi_process_raid_io_error_synchronous(
 	return rc;
 }
 
+static inline bool pqi_is_blockable_request(struct pqi_iu_header *request)
+{
+	return (request->driver_flags & PQI_DRIVER_NONBLOCKABLE_REQUEST) == 0;
+}
+
 static int pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	struct pqi_iu_header *request, unsigned int flags,
-	struct pqi_raid_error_info *error_info, unsigned long timeout_msecs)
+	struct pqi_raid_error_info *error_info)
 {
 	int rc = 0;
 	struct pqi_io_request *io_request;
-	unsigned long start_jiffies;
-	unsigned long msecs_blocked;
 	size_t iu_length;
 	DECLARE_COMPLETION_ONSTACK(wait);
 
-	/*
-	 * Note that specifying PQI_SYNC_FLAGS_INTERRUPTABLE and a timeout value
-	 * are mutually exclusive.
-	 */
-
 	if (flags & PQI_SYNC_FLAGS_INTERRUPTABLE) {
 		if (down_interruptible(&ctrl_info->sync_request_sem))
 			return -ERESTARTSYS;
 	} else {
-		if (timeout_msecs == NO_TIMEOUT) {
-			down(&ctrl_info->sync_request_sem);
-		} else {
-			start_jiffies = jiffies;
-			if (down_timeout(&ctrl_info->sync_request_sem,
-				msecs_to_jiffies(timeout_msecs)))
-				return -ETIMEDOUT;
-			msecs_blocked =
-				jiffies_to_msecs(jiffies - start_jiffies);
-			if (msecs_blocked >= timeout_msecs) {
-				rc = -ETIMEDOUT;
-				goto out;
-			}
-			timeout_msecs -= msecs_blocked;
-		}
+		down(&ctrl_info->sync_request_sem);
 	}
 
 	pqi_ctrl_busy(ctrl_info);
-	timeout_msecs = pqi_wait_if_ctrl_blocked(ctrl_info, timeout_msecs);
-	if (timeout_msecs == 0) {
-		pqi_ctrl_unbusy(ctrl_info);
-		rc = -ETIMEDOUT;
-		goto out;
-	}
+	/*
+	 * Wait for other admin queue updates such as;
+	 * config table changes, OFA memory updates, ...
+	 */
+	if (pqi_is_blockable_request(request))
+		pqi_wait_if_ctrl_blocked(ctrl_info);
 
 	if (pqi_ctrl_offline(ctrl_info)) {
-		pqi_ctrl_unbusy(ctrl_info);
 		rc = -ENXIO;
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	atomic_inc(&ctrl_info->sync_cmds_outstanding);
-
 	io_request = pqi_alloc_io_request(ctrl_info);
 
 	put_unaligned_le16(io_request->index,
@@ -4291,18 +4250,7 @@ static int pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	pqi_start_io(ctrl_info, &ctrl_info->queue_groups[PQI_DEFAULT_QUEUE_GROUP], RAID_PATH,
 		io_request);
 
-	pqi_ctrl_unbusy(ctrl_info);
-
-	if (timeout_msecs == NO_TIMEOUT) {
-		pqi_wait_for_completion_io(ctrl_info, &wait);
-	} else {
-		if (!wait_for_completion_io_timeout(&wait,
-			msecs_to_jiffies(timeout_msecs))) {
-			dev_warn(&ctrl_info->pci_dev->dev,
-				"command timed out\n");
-			rc = -ETIMEDOUT;
-		}
-	}
+	pqi_wait_for_completion_io(ctrl_info, &wait);
 
 	if (error_info) {
 		if (io_request->error_info)
@@ -4315,8 +4263,8 @@ static int pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 
 	pqi_free_io_request(io_request);
 
-	atomic_dec(&ctrl_info->sync_cmds_outstanding);
 out:
+	pqi_ctrl_unbusy(ctrl_info);
 	up(&ctrl_info->sync_request_sem);
 
 	return rc;
@@ -4353,8 +4301,7 @@ static int pqi_submit_admin_request_synchronous(
 	rc = pqi_poll_for_admin_response(ctrl_info, response);
 
 	if (rc == 0)
-		rc = pqi_validate_admin_response(response,
-			request->function_code);
+		rc = pqi_validate_admin_response(response, request->function_code);
 
 	return rc;
 }
@@ -4723,8 +4670,7 @@ static int pqi_configure_events(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	if (rc)
 		goto out;
 
-	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header,
-		0, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0, NULL);
 
 	pqi_pci_unmap(ctrl_info->pci_dev,
 		request.data.report_event_configuration.sg_descriptors, 1,
@@ -4759,8 +4705,7 @@ static int pqi_configure_events(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	if (rc)
 		goto out;
 
-	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0,
-		NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0, NULL);
 
 	pqi_pci_unmap(ctrl_info->pci_dev,
 		request.data.report_event_configuration.sg_descriptors, 1,
@@ -6516,7 +6461,7 @@ static int pqi_passthru_ioctl(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info, void __user *arg)
 		put_unaligned_le32(iocommand.Request.Timeout, &request.timeout);
 
 	rc = pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header,
-		PQI_SYNC_FLAGS_INTERRUPTABLE, &pqi_error_info, NO_TIMEOUT);
+		PQI_SYNC_FLAGS_INTERRUPTABLE, &pqi_error_info);
 
 	if (iocommand.buf_size > 0)
 		pqi_pci_unmap(ctrl_info->pci_dev, request.sg_descriptors, 1,
@@ -7376,8 +7321,7 @@ static int pqi_config_table_update(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
 	put_unaligned_le16(last_section,
 		&request.data.config_table_update.last_section);
 
-	return pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header,
-		0, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+	return pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0, NULL);
 }
 
 static int pqi_enable_firmware_features(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info,
@@ -8522,8 +8466,7 @@ static int pqi_ofa_host_memory_update(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info)
 
 	}
 
-	return pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header,
-		0, NULL, NO_TIMEOUT);
+	return pqi_submit_raid_request_synchronous(ctrl_info, &request.header, 0, NULL);
 }
 
 static int pqi_ofa_ctrl_restart(struct pqi_ctrl_info *ctrl_info)
@@ -9277,7 +9220,7 @@ static void __attribute__((unused)) verify_structures(void)
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_iu_header,
 		response_queue_id) != 0x4);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_iu_header,
-		work_area) != 0x6);
+		driver_flags) != 0x6);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(sizeof(struct pqi_iu_header) != 0x8);
 
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_aio_error_info,
@@ -9375,7 +9318,7 @@ static void __attribute__((unused)) verify_structures(void)
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_general_admin_request,
 		header.iu_length) != 2);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_general_admin_request,
-		header.work_area) != 6);
+		header.driver_flags) != 6);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_general_admin_request,
 		request_id) != 8);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_general_admin_request,
@@ -9431,7 +9374,7 @@ static void __attribute__((unused)) verify_structures(void)
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_general_admin_response,
 		header.iu_length) != 2);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_general_admin_response,
-		header.work_area) != 6);
+		header.driver_flags) != 6);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_general_admin_response,
 		request_id) != 8);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_general_admin_response,
@@ -9455,7 +9398,7 @@ static void __attribute__((unused)) verify_structures(void)
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_raid_path_request,
 		header.response_queue_id) != 4);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_raid_path_request,
-		header.work_area) != 6);
+		header.driver_flags) != 6);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_raid_path_request,
 		request_id) != 8);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_raid_path_request,
@@ -9484,7 +9427,7 @@ static void __attribute__((unused)) verify_structures(void)
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_aio_path_request,
 		header.response_queue_id) != 4);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_aio_path_request,
-		header.work_area) != 6);
+		header.driver_flags) != 6);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_aio_path_request,
 		request_id) != 8);
 	BUILD_BUG_ON(offsetof(struct pqi_aio_path_request,
