diff --git a/include/sound/ak4113.h b/include/sound/ak4113.h
index 2609048c1d4..3a34f6edc2d 100644
--- a/include/sound/ak4113.h
+++ b/include/sound/ak4113.h
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ struct ak4113 {
 	ak4113_write_t *write;
 	ak4113_read_t *read;
 	void *private_data;
-	unsigned int init:1;
+	atomic_t wq_processing;
 	spinlock_t lock;
 	unsigned char regmap[AK4113_WRITABLE_REGS];
 	struct snd_kcontrol *kctls[AK4113_CONTROLS];
diff --git a/include/sound/ak4114.h b/include/sound/ak4114.h
index 3ce69fd9252..69441161009 100644
--- a/include/sound/ak4114.h
+++ b/include/sound/ak4114.h
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ struct ak4114 {
 	ak4114_write_t * write;
 	ak4114_read_t * read;
 	void * private_data;
-	unsigned int init: 1;
+	atomic_t wq_processing;
 	spinlock_t lock;
 	unsigned char regmap[7];
 	unsigned char txcsb[5];
diff --git a/sound/i2c/other/ak4113.c b/sound/i2c/other/ak4113.c
index e04e750a77e..7a9149bb2a3 100644
--- a/sound/i2c/other/ak4113.c
+++ b/sound/i2c/other/ak4113.c
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@ static inline unsigned char reg_read(struct ak4113 *ak4113, unsigned char reg)
 
 static void snd_ak4113_free(struct ak4113 *chip)
 {
-	chip->init = 1;	/* don't schedule new work */
-	mb();
+	atomic_inc(&chip->wq_processing);	/* don't schedule new work */
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&chip->work);
 	kfree(chip);
 }
@@ -89,6 +88,7 @@ int snd_ak4113_create(struct snd_card *card, ak4113_read_t *read,
 	chip->write = write;
 	chip->private_data = private_data;
 	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&chip->work, ak4113_stats);
+	atomic_set(&chip->wq_processing, 0);
 
 	for (reg = 0; reg < AK4113_WRITABLE_REGS ; reg++)
 		chip->regmap[reg] = pgm[reg];
@@ -139,13 +139,11 @@ static void ak4113_init_regs(struct ak4113 *chip)
 
 void snd_ak4113_reinit(struct ak4113 *chip)
 {
-	chip->init = 1;
-	mb();
-	flush_delayed_work(&chip->work);
+	if (atomic_inc_return(&chip->wq_processing) == 1)
+		cancel_delayed_work_sync(&chip->work);
 	ak4113_init_regs(chip);
 	/* bring up statistics / event queing */
-	chip->init = 0;
-	if (chip->kctls[0])
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&chip->wq_processing))
 		schedule_delayed_work(&chip->work, HZ / 10);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(snd_ak4113_reinit);
@@ -632,8 +630,9 @@ static void ak4113_stats(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	struct ak4113 *chip = container_of(work, struct ak4113, work.work);
 
-	if (!chip->init)
+	if (atomic_inc_return(&chip->wq_processing) == 1)
 		snd_ak4113_check_rate_and_errors(chip, chip->check_flags);
 
-	schedule_delayed_work(&chip->work, HZ / 10);
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&chip->wq_processing))
+		schedule_delayed_work(&chip->work, HZ / 10);
 }
diff --git a/sound/i2c/other/ak4114.c b/sound/i2c/other/ak4114.c
index 5bf4fca19e4..84a1ee7af55 100644
--- a/sound/i2c/other/ak4114.c
+++ b/sound/i2c/other/ak4114.c
@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ static void reg_dump(struct ak4114 *ak4114)
 
 static void snd_ak4114_free(struct ak4114 *chip)
 {
-	chip->init = 1;	/* don't schedule new work */
-	mb();
+	atomic_inc(&chip->wq_processing);	/* don't schedule new work */
 	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&chip->work);
 	kfree(chip);
 }
@@ -100,6 +99,7 @@ int snd_ak4114_create(struct snd_card *card,
 	chip->write = write;
 	chip->private_data = private_data;
 	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&chip->work, ak4114_stats);
+	atomic_set(&chip->wq_processing, 0);
 
 	for (reg = 0; reg < 7; reg++)
 		chip->regmap[reg] = pgm[reg];
@@ -152,13 +152,11 @@ static void ak4114_init_regs(struct ak4114 *chip)
 
 void snd_ak4114_reinit(struct ak4114 *chip)
 {
-	chip->init = 1;
-	mb();
-	flush_delayed_work(&chip->work);
+	if (atomic_inc_return(&chip->wq_processing) == 1)
+		cancel_delayed_work_sync(&chip->work);
 	ak4114_init_regs(chip);
 	/* bring up statistics / event queing */
-	chip->init = 0;
-	if (chip->kctls[0])
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&chip->wq_processing))
 		schedule_delayed_work(&chip->work, HZ / 10);
 }
 
@@ -612,10 +610,10 @@ static void ak4114_stats(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	struct ak4114 *chip = container_of(work, struct ak4114, work.work);
 
-	if (!chip->init)
+	if (atomic_inc_return(&chip->wq_processing) == 1)
 		snd_ak4114_check_rate_and_errors(chip, chip->check_flags);
-
-	schedule_delayed_work(&chip->work, HZ / 10);
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&chip->wq_processing))
+		schedule_delayed_work(&chip->work, HZ / 10);
 }
 
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(snd_ak4114_create);