static struct tty_driver *sx_driver;
 
+static DEFINE_MUTEX(sx_boards_lock);
 static struct sx_board boards[SX_NBOARDS];
 static struct sx_port *sx_ports;
 static int sx_initialized;
        }
 
        if (chans) {
-               /* board->flags |= SX_BOARD_PRESENT; */
                if(board->irq > 0) {
                        /* fixed irq, probably PCI */
                        if(sx_irqmask & (1 << board->irq)) { /* may we use this irq? */
                return 0;
        sx_dprintk (SX_DEBUG_INIT, "reset the board...\n");
 
-       board->flags |= SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
-
        func_exit();
        return 1;
 }
                return 0;
        sx_dprintk (SX_DEBUG_INIT, "reset the board...\n");
 
-       board->flags |= SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
-
        func_exit();
        return 1;
 }
        unsigned int i;
        int retval = -EIO;
 
+       mutex_lock(&sx_boards_lock);
        i = sx_find_free_board();
-
-       if (i == SX_NBOARDS)
+       if (i == SX_NBOARDS) {
+               mutex_unlock(&sx_boards_lock);
                goto err;
+       }
+       board = &boards[i];
+       board->flags |= SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
+       mutex_unlock(&sx_boards_lock);
 
        dev_info(dev, "XIO : Signature found in EISA slot %lu, "
                        "Product %d Rev %d (REPORT THIS TO LKLM)\n",
                        inb(eisa_slot + EISA_VENDOR_ID_OFFSET + 2),
                        inb(eisa_slot + EISA_VENDOR_ID_OFFSET + 3));
 
-       board = &boards[i];
        board->eisa_base = eisa_slot;
        board->flags &= ~SX_BOARD_TYPE;
        board->flags |= SI_EISA_BOARD;
        return 0;
 err_unmap:
        iounmap(board->base);
+       board->flags &= ~SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
 err:
        return retval;
 }
        unsigned int i;
        int retval = -EIO;
 
+       mutex_lock(&sx_boards_lock);
        i = sx_find_free_board();
-
-       if (i == SX_NBOARDS)
+       if (i == SX_NBOARDS) {
+               mutex_unlock(&sx_boards_lock);
                goto err;
+       }
+       board = &boards[i];
+       board->flags |= SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
+       mutex_unlock(&sx_boards_lock);
 
        retval = pci_enable_device(pdev);
        if (retval)
-               goto err;
-
-       board = &boards[i];
+               goto err_flag;
 
        board->flags &= ~SX_BOARD_TYPE;
        board->flags |= (pdev->subsystem_vendor == 0x200) ? SX_PCI_BOARD :
        board->base = ioremap(board->hw_base, WINDOW_LEN (board));
        if (!board->base) {
                dev_err(&pdev->dev, "ioremap failed\n");
-               goto err;
+               goto err_flag;
        }
 
        /* Most of the stuff on the CF board is offset by 0x18000 ....  */
        return 0;
 err_unmap:
        iounmap(board->base2);
+err_flag:
+       board->flags &= ~SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
 err:
        return retval;
 }
                board->irq = sx_irqmask?-1:0;
 
                if (probe_sx (board)) {
+                       board->flags |= SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
                        found++;
                } else {
                        iounmap(board->base);
                board->irq = sx_irqmask ?-1:0;
 
                if (probe_si (board)) {
+                       board->flags |= SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
                        found++;
                } else {
                        iounmap (board->base);
                board->irq = sx_irqmask ?-1:0;
 
                if (probe_si (board)) {
+                       board->flags |= SX_BOARD_PRESENT;
                        found++;
                } else {
                        iounmap (board->base);