uint32_t i;
        struct qla_hw_data *ha = vha->hw;
        struct req_que *req = ha->req_q_map[0];
+
+       qla_printk(KERN_INFO, ha,
+           "FW: Loading from flash (%x)...\n", ha->flt_region_fw);
+
        rval = QLA_SUCCESS;
 
        segments = FA_RISC_CODE_SEGMENTS;
        return QLA_FUNCTION_FAILED;
 }
 
-int
-qla24xx_load_risc(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, uint32_t *srisc_addr)
+static int
+qla24xx_load_risc_blob(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, uint32_t *srisc_addr)
 {
        int     rval;
        int     segments, fragment;
                qla_printk(KERN_ERR, ha, "Firmware images can be retrieved "
                    "from: " QLA_FW_URL ".\n");
 
-               /* Try to load RISC code from flash. */
-               qla_printk(KERN_ERR, ha, "Attempting to load (potentially "
-                   "outdated) firmware from flash.\n");
-               return qla24xx_load_risc_flash(vha, srisc_addr);
+               return QLA_FUNCTION_FAILED;
        }
 
+       qla_printk(KERN_INFO, ha,
+           "FW: Loading via request-firmware...\n");
+
        rval = QLA_SUCCESS;
 
        segments = FA_RISC_CODE_SEGMENTS;
        return QLA_FUNCTION_FAILED;
 }
 
+int
+qla24xx_load_risc(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, uint32_t *srisc_addr)
+{
+       int rval;
+
+       /*
+        * FW Load priority:
+        * 1) Firmware via request-firmware interface (.bin file).
+        * 2) Firmware residing in flash.
+        */
+       rval = qla24xx_load_risc_blob(vha, srisc_addr);
+       if (rval == QLA_SUCCESS)
+               return rval;
+
+       return qla24xx_load_risc_flash(vha, srisc_addr);
+}
+
+int
+qla81xx_load_risc(scsi_qla_host_t *vha, uint32_t *srisc_addr)
+{
+       int rval;
+
+       /*
+        * FW Load priority:
+        * 1) Firmware residing in flash.
+        * 2) Firmware via request-firmware interface (.bin file).
+        */
+       rval = qla24xx_load_risc_flash(vha, srisc_addr);
+       if (rval == QLA_SUCCESS)
+               return rval;
+
+       return qla24xx_load_risc_blob(vha, srisc_addr);
+}
+
 void
 qla2x00_try_to_stop_firmware(scsi_qla_host_t *vha)
 {
 
        .reset_adapter          = qla24xx_reset_adapter,
        .nvram_config           = qla81xx_nvram_config,
        .update_fw_options      = qla81xx_update_fw_options,
-       .load_risc              = qla24xx_load_risc,
+       .load_risc              = qla81xx_load_risc,
        .pci_info_str           = qla24xx_pci_info_str,
        .fw_version_str         = qla24xx_fw_version_str,
        .intr_handler           = qla24xx_intr_handler,