diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
index 9251918773b157c0d6b6f3f292d19ce394bc2ab4..ae119018dfaae9fe65c5cfe1869cdc655b27a3ea 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_def.h
@@ -3322,6 +3322,10 @@ struct qlt_hw_data {
 
 #define LEAK_EXCHG_THRESH_HOLD_PERCENT 75	/* 75 percent */
 
+#define QLA_EARLY_LINKUP(_ha) \
+	((_ha->flags.n2n_ae || _ha->flags.lip_ae) && \
+	 _ha->flags.fw_started && !_ha->flags.fw_init_done)
+
 /*
  * Qlogic host adapter specific data structure.
 */
@@ -3371,9 +3375,11 @@ struct qla_hw_data {
 		uint32_t	fawwpn_enabled:1;
 		uint32_t	exlogins_enabled:1;
 		uint32_t	exchoffld_enabled:1;
-		/* 35 bits */
 
+		uint32_t	lip_ae:1;
+		uint32_t	n2n_ae:1;
 		uint32_t	fw_started:1;
+		uint32_t	fw_init_done:1;
 	} flags;
 
 	/* This spinlock is used to protect "io transactions", you must
@@ -3466,7 +3472,6 @@ struct qla_hw_data {
 #define P2P_LOOP  3
 	uint8_t		interrupts_on;
 	uint32_t	isp_abort_cnt;
-
 #define PCI_DEVICE_ID_QLOGIC_ISP2532    0x2532
 #define PCI_DEVICE_ID_QLOGIC_ISP8432    0x8432
 #define PCI_DEVICE_ID_QLOGIC_ISP8001	0x8001
@@ -3947,6 +3952,7 @@ typedef struct scsi_qla_host {
 	struct list_head vp_fcports;	/* list of fcports */
 	struct list_head work_list;
 	spinlock_t work_lock;
+	struct work_struct iocb_work;
 
 	/* Commonly used flags and state information. */
 	struct Scsi_Host *host;
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
index b0f6ad3020d3a034aeeb33c54ee4626eb9232a3d..f9d2fe7b1adedf9349c11b7bfaf389c223a21ba8 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_init.c
@@ -3178,6 +3178,7 @@ qla2x00_init_rings(scsi_qla_host_t *vha)
 	} else {
 		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_init, vha, 0x00d3,
 		    "Init Firmware -- success.\n");
+		ha->flags.fw_started = 1;
 	}
 
 	return (rval);
@@ -4000,6 +4001,7 @@ qla2x00_configure_loop(scsi_qla_host_t *vha)
 			atomic_set(&vha->loop_state, LOOP_READY);
 			ql_dbg(ql_dbg_disc, vha, 0x2069,
 			    "LOOP READY.\n");
+			ha->flags.fw_init_done = 1;
 
 			/*
 			 * Process any ATIO queue entries that came in
@@ -5491,6 +5493,11 @@ qla2x00_abort_isp_cleanup(scsi_qla_host_t *vha)
 	if (!(IS_P3P_TYPE(ha)))
 		ha->isp_ops->reset_chip(vha);
 
+	ha->flags.n2n_ae = 0;
+	ha->flags.lip_ae = 0;
+	ha->current_topology = 0;
+	ha->flags.fw_started = 0;
+	ha->flags.fw_init_done = 0;
 	ha->chip_reset++;
 
 	atomic_set(&vha->loop_down_timer, LOOP_DOWN_TIME);
@@ -6767,6 +6774,8 @@ qla2x00_try_to_stop_firmware(scsi_qla_host_t *vha)
 		return;
 	if (!ha->fw_major_version)
 		return;
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started)
+		return;
 
 	ret = qla2x00_stop_firmware(vha);
 	for (retries = 5; ret != QLA_SUCCESS && ret != QLA_FUNCTION_TIMEOUT &&
@@ -6780,6 +6789,9 @@ qla2x00_try_to_stop_firmware(scsi_qla_host_t *vha)
 		    "Attempting retry of stop-firmware command.\n");
 		ret = qla2x00_stop_firmware(vha);
 	}
+
+	ha->flags.fw_started = 0;
+	ha->flags.fw_init_done = 0;
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_isr.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_isr.c
index 3953c8d6af69b34aafe58c9fe31bff150a2c383c..3203367a4f423608ab69d75882d5a3141a1465a1 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_isr.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_isr.c
@@ -708,6 +708,8 @@ qla2x00_async_event(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, struct rsp_que *rsp, uint16_t *mb)
 		    "mbx7=%xh.\n", mb[1], mb[2], mb[3], mbx);
 
 		ha->isp_ops->fw_dump(vha, 1);
+		ha->flags.fw_init_done = 0;
+		ha->flags.fw_started = 0;
 
 		if (IS_FWI2_CAPABLE(ha)) {
 			if (mb[1] == 0 && mb[2] == 0) {
@@ -761,6 +763,9 @@ qla2x00_async_event(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, struct rsp_que *rsp, uint16_t *mb)
 		break;
 
 	case MBA_LIP_OCCURRED:		/* Loop Initialization Procedure */
+		ha->flags.lip_ae = 1;
+		ha->flags.n2n_ae = 0;
+
 		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_async, vha, 0x5009,
 		    "LIP occurred (%x).\n", mb[1]);
 
@@ -797,6 +802,10 @@ qla2x00_async_event(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, struct rsp_que *rsp, uint16_t *mb)
 		break;
 
 	case MBA_LOOP_DOWN:		/* Loop Down Event */
+		ha->flags.n2n_ae = 0;
+		ha->flags.lip_ae = 0;
+		ha->current_topology = 0;
+
 		mbx = (IS_QLA81XX(ha) || IS_QLA8031(ha))
 			? RD_REG_WORD(&reg24->mailbox4) : 0;
 		mbx = (IS_P3P_TYPE(ha)) ? RD_REG_WORD(&reg82->mailbox_out[4])
@@ -866,6 +875,9 @@ qla2x00_async_event(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, struct rsp_que *rsp, uint16_t *mb)
 
 	/* case MBA_DCBX_COMPLETE: */
 	case MBA_POINT_TO_POINT:	/* Point-to-Point */
+		ha->flags.lip_ae = 0;
+		ha->flags.n2n_ae = 1;
+
 		if (IS_QLA2100(ha))
 			break;
 
@@ -2706,7 +2718,7 @@ void qla24xx_process_response_queue(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 	struct sts_entry_24xx *pkt;
 	struct qla_hw_data *ha = vha->hw;
 
-	if (!vha->flags.online)
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started)
 		return;
 
 	while (rsp->ring_ptr->signature != RESPONSE_PROCESSED) {
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
index 53d9579acc746c46bc9b07d209cdd56f70a89320..a113ab3592a7f86eb16ce8f76d82337557cab029 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_mbx.c
@@ -3638,11 +3638,11 @@ qla24xx_report_id_acquisition(scsi_qla_host_t *vha,
 
 	if (rptid_entry->format == 0) {
 		/* loop */
-		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_mbx + ql_dbg_verbose, vha, 0x10b7,
+		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_async, vha, 0x10b7,
 		    "Format 0 : Number of VPs setup %d, number of "
 		    "VPs acquired %d.\n", rptid_entry->vp_setup,
 		    rptid_entry->vp_acquired);
-		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_mbx + ql_dbg_verbose, vha, 0x10b8,
+		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_async, vha, 0x10b8,
 		    "Primary port id %02x%02x%02x.\n",
 		    rptid_entry->port_id[2], rptid_entry->port_id[1],
 		    rptid_entry->port_id[0]);
@@ -3651,7 +3651,7 @@ qla24xx_report_id_acquisition(scsi_qla_host_t *vha,
 
 	} else if (rptid_entry->format == 1) {
 		/* fabric */
-		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_mbx + ql_dbg_verbose, vha, 0x10b9,
+		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_async, vha, 0x10b9,
 		    "Format 1: VP[%d] enabled - status %d - with "
 		    "port id %02x%02x%02x.\n", rptid_entry->vp_idx,
 			rptid_entry->vp_status,
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
index 344faf59783d7f9d928825c6e1783201d0145a61..41d5b09f7326fb706f132fc64bcfe54023e37309 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_os.c
@@ -2560,6 +2560,20 @@ qla2xxx_scan_finished(struct Scsi_Host *shost, unsigned long time)
 	return atomic_read(&vha->loop_state) == LOOP_READY;
 }
 
+static void qla2x00_iocb_work_fn(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct scsi_qla_host *vha = container_of(work,
+		struct scsi_qla_host, iocb_work);
+	int cnt = 0;
+
+	while (!list_empty(&vha->work_list)) {
+		qla2x00_do_work(vha);
+		cnt++;
+		if (cnt > 10)
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
 /*
  * PCI driver interface
  */
@@ -3078,6 +3092,7 @@ qla2x00_probe_one(struct pci_dev *pdev, const struct pci_device_id *id)
 	 */
 	qla2xxx_wake_dpc(base_vha);
 
+	INIT_WORK(&base_vha->iocb_work, qla2x00_iocb_work_fn);
 	INIT_WORK(&ha->board_disable, qla2x00_disable_board_on_pci_error);
 
 	if (IS_QLA8031(ha) || IS_MCTP_CAPABLE(ha)) {
@@ -4321,7 +4336,11 @@ qla2x00_post_work(struct scsi_qla_host *vha, struct qla_work_evt *e)
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&vha->work_lock, flags);
 	list_add_tail(&e->list, &vha->work_list);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&vha->work_lock, flags);
-	qla2xxx_wake_dpc(vha);
+
+	if (QLA_EARLY_LINKUP(vha->hw))
+		schedule_work(&vha->iocb_work);
+	else
+		qla2xxx_wake_dpc(vha);
 
 	return QLA_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_target.c b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_target.c
index 7278e046bf87f44fc6ac1ec41ed56ec19fd35e86..0e03ca2ab3e52358c817cdd2cdc667ba2bfb1ba3 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_target.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla_target.c
@@ -638,6 +638,7 @@ int qla24xx_async_notify_ack(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, fc_port_t *fcport,
 		break;
 	case SRB_NACK_PRLI:
 		fcport->fw_login_state = DSC_LS_PRLI_PEND;
+		fcport->deleted = 0;
 		c = "PRLI";
 		break;
 	case SRB_NACK_LOGO:
@@ -1576,6 +1577,9 @@ static void qlt_send_notify_ack(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 	request_t *pkt;
 	struct nack_to_isp *nack;
 
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started)
+		return;
+
 	ql_dbg(ql_dbg_tgt, vha, 0xe004, "Sending NOTIFY_ACK (ha=%p)\n", ha);
 
 	/* Send marker if required */
@@ -3053,7 +3057,7 @@ int qlt_xmit_response(struct qla_tgt_cmd *cmd, int xmit_type,
 	else
 		vha->tgt_counters.core_qla_que_buf++;
 
-	if (!vha->flags.online || cmd->reset_count != ha->chip_reset) {
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started || cmd->reset_count != ha->chip_reset) {
 		/*
 		 * Either the port is not online or this request was from
 		 * previous life, just abort the processing.
@@ -3194,7 +3198,7 @@ int qlt_rdy_to_xfer(struct qla_tgt_cmd *cmd)
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&ha->hardware_lock, flags);
 
-	if (!vha->flags.online || (cmd->reset_count != ha->chip_reset) ||
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started || (cmd->reset_count != ha->chip_reset) ||
 	    (cmd->sess && cmd->sess->deleted)) {
 		/*
 		 * Either the port is not online or this request was from
@@ -3372,7 +3376,7 @@ static int __qlt_send_term_imm_notif(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 	ql_dbg(ql_dbg_tgt_tmr, vha, 0xe01c,
 	    "Sending TERM ELS CTIO (ha=%p)\n", ha);
 
-	pkt = (request_t *)qla2x00_alloc_iocbs_ready(vha, NULL);
+	pkt = (request_t *)qla2x00_alloc_iocbs(vha, NULL);
 	if (pkt == NULL) {
 		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_tgt, vha, 0xe080,
 		    "qla_target(%d): %s failed: unable to allocate "
@@ -4697,7 +4701,8 @@ static int qlt_24xx_handle_els(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 		}
 
 		if (sess != NULL) {
-			if (sess->fw_login_state == DSC_LS_PLOGI_PEND) {
+			if (sess->fw_login_state != DSC_LS_PLOGI_PEND &&
+			    sess->fw_login_state != DSC_LS_PLOGI_COMP) {
 				/*
 				 * Impatient initiator sent PRLI before last
 				 * PLOGI could finish. Will force him to re-try,
@@ -4736,15 +4741,23 @@ static int qlt_24xx_handle_els(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 
 		/* Make session global (not used in fabric mode) */
 		if (ha->current_topology != ISP_CFG_F) {
-			set_bit(LOOP_RESYNC_NEEDED, &vha->dpc_flags);
-			set_bit(LOCAL_LOOP_UPDATE, &vha->dpc_flags);
-			qla2xxx_wake_dpc(vha);
+			if (sess) {
+				ql_dbg(ql_dbg_disc, vha, 0xffff,
+				    "%s %d %8phC post nack\n",
+				    __func__, __LINE__, sess->port_name);
+				qla24xx_post_nack_work(vha, sess, iocb,
+					SRB_NACK_PRLI);
+				res = 0;
+			} else {
+				set_bit(LOOP_RESYNC_NEEDED, &vha->dpc_flags);
+				set_bit(LOCAL_LOOP_UPDATE, &vha->dpc_flags);
+				qla2xxx_wake_dpc(vha);
+			}
 		} else {
 			if (sess) {
 				ql_dbg(ql_dbg_disc, vha, 0xffff,
-					   "%s %d %8phC post nack\n",
-					   __func__, __LINE__, sess->port_name);
-
+				    "%s %d %8phC post nack\n",
+				    __func__, __LINE__, sess->port_name);
 				qla24xx_post_nack_work(vha, sess, iocb,
 					SRB_NACK_PRLI);
 				res = 0;
@@ -4752,7 +4765,6 @@ static int qlt_24xx_handle_els(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 		}
 		break;
 
-
 	case ELS_TPRLO:
 		if (le16_to_cpu(iocb->u.isp24.flags) &
 			NOTIFY24XX_FLAGS_GLOBAL_TPRLO) {
@@ -5222,7 +5234,7 @@ static void qlt_24xx_atio_pkt(struct scsi_qla_host *vha,
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	if (unlikely(tgt == NULL)) {
-		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_io, vha, 0x3064,
+		ql_dbg(ql_dbg_tgt, vha, 0x3064,
 		    "ATIO pkt, but no tgt (ha %p)", ha);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -6359,7 +6371,7 @@ qlt_24xx_process_atio_queue(struct scsi_qla_host *vha, uint8_t ha_locked)
 	struct atio_from_isp *pkt;
 	int cnt, i;
 
-	if (!vha->flags.online)
+	if (!ha->flags.fw_started)
 		return;
 
 	while ((ha->tgt.atio_ring_ptr->signature != ATIO_PROCESSED) ||