diff --git a/arch/arm/src/imx6/imx_gpio.c b/arch/arm/src/imx6/imx_gpio.c
index a37879e823..9e163fc1f0 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/imx6/imx_gpio.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/imx6/imx_gpio.c
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
  * Private Data
  ****************************************************************************/
 
+static spinlock_t g_imx_gpio_lock = SP_UNLOCKED;
+
 static const uint8_t g_gpio1_padmux[IMX_GPIO_NPINS] =
 {
   IMX_PADMUX_GPIO00_INDEX,           /* GPIO1 Pin 0 */
@@ -515,7 +517,7 @@ int imx_config_gpio(gpio_pinset_t pinset)
 
   /* Configure the pin as an input initially to avoid any spurious outputs */
 
-  flags = spin_lock_irqsave(NULL);
+  flags = spin_lock_irqsave(&g_imx_gpio_lock);
 
   /* Configure based upon the pin mode */
 
@@ -558,7 +560,7 @@ int imx_config_gpio(gpio_pinset_t pinset)
         break;
     }
 
-  spin_unlock_irqrestore(NULL, flags);
+  spin_unlock_irqrestore(&g_imx_gpio_lock, flags);
   return ret;
 }
 
@@ -576,9 +578,9 @@ void imx_gpio_write(gpio_pinset_t pinset, bool value)
   int port = (pinset & GPIO_PORT_MASK) >> GPIO_PORT_SHIFT;
   int pin  = (pinset & GPIO_PIN_MASK) >> GPIO_PIN_SHIFT;
 
-  flags = enter_critical_section();
+  flags = spin_lock_irqsave(&g_imx_gpio_lock);
   imx_gpio_setoutput(port, pin, value);
-  leave_critical_section(flags);
+  spin_unlock_irqrestore(&g_imx_gpio_lock, flags);
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************
@@ -596,8 +598,8 @@ bool imx_gpio_read(gpio_pinset_t pinset)
   int pin  = (pinset & GPIO_PIN_MASK) >> GPIO_PIN_SHIFT;
   bool value;
 
-  flags = enter_critical_section();
+  flags = spin_lock_irqsave(&g_imx_gpio_lock);
   value = imx_gpio_getinput(port, pin);
-  leave_critical_section(flags);
+  spin_unlock_irqrestore(&g_imx_gpio_lock, flags);
   return value;
 }