diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_ethtool.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_ethtool.c
index 9efcec549834e8..53f6258a973c28 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_ethtool.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/marvell/octeontx2/nic/otx2_ethtool.c
@@ -334,9 +334,12 @@ static void otx2_get_pauseparam(struct net_device *netdev,
 	if (is_otx2_lbkvf(pfvf->pdev))
 		return;
 
+	mutex_lock(&pfvf->mbox.lock);
 	req = otx2_mbox_alloc_msg_cgx_cfg_pause_frm(&pfvf->mbox);
-	if (!req)
+	if (!req) {
+		mutex_unlock(&pfvf->mbox.lock);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	if (!otx2_sync_mbox_msg(&pfvf->mbox)) {
 		rsp = (struct cgx_pause_frm_cfg *)
@@ -344,6 +347,7 @@ static void otx2_get_pauseparam(struct net_device *netdev,
 		pause->rx_pause = rsp->rx_pause;
 		pause->tx_pause = rsp->tx_pause;
 	}
+	mutex_unlock(&pfvf->mbox.lock);
 }
 
 static int otx2_set_pauseparam(struct net_device *netdev,