diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
index dbf037b2b32f..09160ec02c5f 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-core.c
@@ -661,12 +661,137 @@ u64 pblk_lookup_page(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
 	return paddr;
 }
 
-/*
- * Submit emeta to one LUN in the raid line at the time to avoid a deadlock when
- * taking the per LUN semaphore.
- */
-static int pblk_line_submit_emeta_io(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
-				     void *emeta_buf, u64 paddr, int dir)
+u64 pblk_line_smeta_start(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
+{
+	struct nvm_tgt_dev *dev = pblk->dev;
+	struct nvm_geo *geo = &dev->geo;
+	struct pblk_line_meta *lm = &pblk->lm;
+	int bit;
+
+	/* This usually only happens on bad lines */
+	bit = find_first_zero_bit(line->blk_bitmap, lm->blk_per_line);
+	if (bit >= lm->blk_per_line)
+		return -1;
+
+	return bit * geo->ws_opt;
+}
+
+int pblk_line_smeta_read(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
+{
+	struct nvm_tgt_dev *dev = pblk->dev;
+	struct pblk_line_meta *lm = &pblk->lm;
+	struct bio *bio;
+	struct nvm_rq rqd;
+	u64 paddr = pblk_line_smeta_start(pblk, line);
+	int i, ret;
+
+	memset(&rqd, 0, sizeof(struct nvm_rq));
+
+	rqd.meta_list = nvm_dev_dma_alloc(dev->parent, GFP_KERNEL,
+							&rqd.dma_meta_list);
+	if (!rqd.meta_list)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	rqd.ppa_list = rqd.meta_list + pblk_dma_meta_size;
+	rqd.dma_ppa_list = rqd.dma_meta_list + pblk_dma_meta_size;
+
+	bio = bio_map_kern(dev->q, line->smeta, lm->smeta_len, GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (IS_ERR(bio)) {
+		ret = PTR_ERR(bio);
+		goto free_ppa_list;
+	}
+
+	bio->bi_iter.bi_sector = 0; /* internal bio */
+	bio_set_op_attrs(bio, REQ_OP_READ, 0);
+
+	rqd.bio = bio;
+	rqd.opcode = NVM_OP_PREAD;
+	rqd.nr_ppas = lm->smeta_sec;
+	rqd.is_seq = 1;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < lm->smeta_sec; i++, paddr++)
+		rqd.ppa_list[i] = addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, line->id);
+
+	ret = pblk_submit_io_sync(pblk, &rqd);
+	if (ret) {
+		pblk_err(pblk, "smeta I/O submission failed: %d\n", ret);
+		bio_put(bio);
+		goto free_ppa_list;
+	}
+
+	atomic_dec(&pblk->inflight_io);
+
+	if (rqd.error)
+		pblk_log_read_err(pblk, &rqd);
+
+free_ppa_list:
+	nvm_dev_dma_free(dev->parent, rqd.meta_list, rqd.dma_meta_list);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static int pblk_line_smeta_write(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
+				 u64 paddr)
+{
+	struct nvm_tgt_dev *dev = pblk->dev;
+	struct pblk_line_meta *lm = &pblk->lm;
+	struct bio *bio;
+	struct nvm_rq rqd;
+	__le64 *lba_list = emeta_to_lbas(pblk, line->emeta->buf);
+	__le64 addr_empty = cpu_to_le64(ADDR_EMPTY);
+	int i, ret;
+
+	memset(&rqd, 0, sizeof(struct nvm_rq));
+
+	rqd.meta_list = nvm_dev_dma_alloc(dev->parent, GFP_KERNEL,
+							&rqd.dma_meta_list);
+	if (!rqd.meta_list)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	rqd.ppa_list = rqd.meta_list + pblk_dma_meta_size;
+	rqd.dma_ppa_list = rqd.dma_meta_list + pblk_dma_meta_size;
+
+	bio = bio_map_kern(dev->q, line->smeta, lm->smeta_len, GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (IS_ERR(bio)) {
+		ret = PTR_ERR(bio);
+		goto free_ppa_list;
+	}
+
+	bio->bi_iter.bi_sector = 0; /* internal bio */
+	bio_set_op_attrs(bio, REQ_OP_WRITE, 0);
+
+	rqd.bio = bio;
+	rqd.opcode = NVM_OP_PWRITE;
+	rqd.nr_ppas = lm->smeta_sec;
+	rqd.is_seq = 1;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < lm->smeta_sec; i++, paddr++) {
+		struct pblk_sec_meta *meta_list = rqd.meta_list;
+
+		rqd.ppa_list[i] = addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, line->id);
+		meta_list[i].lba = lba_list[paddr] = addr_empty;
+	}
+
+	ret = pblk_submit_io_sync(pblk, &rqd);
+	if (ret) {
+		pblk_err(pblk, "smeta I/O submission failed: %d\n", ret);
+		bio_put(bio);
+		goto free_ppa_list;
+	}
+
+	atomic_dec(&pblk->inflight_io);
+
+	if (rqd.error) {
+		pblk_log_write_err(pblk, &rqd);
+		ret = -EIO;
+	}
+
+free_ppa_list:
+	nvm_dev_dma_free(dev->parent, rqd.meta_list, rqd.dma_meta_list);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int pblk_line_emeta_read(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
+			 void *emeta_buf)
 {
 	struct nvm_tgt_dev *dev = pblk->dev;
 	struct nvm_geo *geo = &dev->geo;
@@ -675,24 +800,15 @@ static int pblk_line_submit_emeta_io(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
 	void *ppa_list, *meta_list;
 	struct bio *bio;
 	struct nvm_rq rqd;
+	u64 paddr = line->emeta_ssec;
 	dma_addr_t dma_ppa_list, dma_meta_list;
 	int min = pblk->min_write_pgs;
 	int left_ppas = lm->emeta_sec[0];
-	int id = line->id;
+	int line_id = line->id;
 	int rq_ppas, rq_len;
-	int cmd_op, bio_op;
 	int i, j;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (dir == PBLK_WRITE) {
-		bio_op = REQ_OP_WRITE;
-		cmd_op = NVM_OP_PWRITE;
-	} else if (dir == PBLK_READ) {
-		bio_op = REQ_OP_READ;
-		cmd_op = NVM_OP_PREAD;
-	} else
-		return -EINVAL;
-
 	meta_list = nvm_dev_dma_alloc(dev->parent, GFP_KERNEL,
 							&dma_meta_list);
 	if (!meta_list)
@@ -715,64 +831,43 @@ static int pblk_line_submit_emeta_io(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
 	}
 
 	bio->bi_iter.bi_sector = 0; /* internal bio */
-	bio_set_op_attrs(bio, bio_op, 0);
+	bio_set_op_attrs(bio, REQ_OP_READ, 0);
 
 	rqd.bio = bio;
 	rqd.meta_list = meta_list;
 	rqd.ppa_list = ppa_list;
 	rqd.dma_meta_list = dma_meta_list;
 	rqd.dma_ppa_list = dma_ppa_list;
-	rqd.opcode = cmd_op;
+	rqd.opcode = NVM_OP_PREAD;
 	rqd.nr_ppas = rq_ppas;
 
-	if (dir == PBLK_WRITE) {
-		struct pblk_sec_meta *meta_list = rqd.meta_list;
+	for (i = 0; i < rqd.nr_ppas; ) {
+		struct ppa_addr ppa = addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, line_id);
+		int pos = pblk_ppa_to_pos(geo, ppa);
 
-		rqd.is_seq = 1;
-		for (i = 0; i < rqd.nr_ppas; ) {
-			spin_lock(&line->lock);
-			paddr = __pblk_alloc_page(pblk, line, min);
-			spin_unlock(&line->lock);
-			for (j = 0; j < min; j++, i++, paddr++) {
-				meta_list[i].lba = cpu_to_le64(ADDR_EMPTY);
-				rqd.ppa_list[i] =
-					addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, id);
-			}
-		}
-	} else {
-		for (i = 0; i < rqd.nr_ppas; ) {
-			struct ppa_addr ppa = addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, id);
-			int pos = pblk_ppa_to_pos(geo, ppa);
+		if (pblk_io_aligned(pblk, rq_ppas))
+			rqd.is_seq = 1;
 
-			if (pblk_io_aligned(pblk, rq_ppas))
-				rqd.is_seq = 1;
-
-			while (test_bit(pos, line->blk_bitmap)) {
-				paddr += min;
-				if (pblk_boundary_paddr_checks(pblk, paddr)) {
-					pblk_err(pblk, "corrupt emeta line:%d\n",
-								line->id);
-					bio_put(bio);
-					ret = -EINTR;
-					goto free_rqd_dma;
-				}
-
-				ppa = addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, id);
-				pos = pblk_ppa_to_pos(geo, ppa);
-			}
-
-			if (pblk_boundary_paddr_checks(pblk, paddr + min)) {
-				pblk_err(pblk, "corrupt emeta line:%d\n",
-								line->id);
+		while (test_bit(pos, line->blk_bitmap)) {
+			paddr += min;
+			if (pblk_boundary_paddr_checks(pblk, paddr)) {
 				bio_put(bio);
 				ret = -EINTR;
 				goto free_rqd_dma;
 			}
 
-			for (j = 0; j < min; j++, i++, paddr++)
-				rqd.ppa_list[i] =
-					addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, line->id);
+			ppa = addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, line_id);
+			pos = pblk_ppa_to_pos(geo, ppa);
 		}
+
+		if (pblk_boundary_paddr_checks(pblk, paddr + min)) {
+			bio_put(bio);
+			ret = -EINTR;
+			goto free_rqd_dma;
+		}
+
+		for (j = 0; j < min; j++, i++, paddr++)
+			rqd.ppa_list[i] = addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, line_id);
 	}
 
 	ret = pblk_submit_io_sync(pblk, &rqd);
@@ -784,136 +879,19 @@ static int pblk_line_submit_emeta_io(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
 
 	atomic_dec(&pblk->inflight_io);
 
-	if (rqd.error) {
-		if (dir == PBLK_WRITE)
-			pblk_log_write_err(pblk, &rqd);
-		else
-			pblk_log_read_err(pblk, &rqd);
-	}
+	if (rqd.error)
+		pblk_log_read_err(pblk, &rqd);
 
 	emeta_buf += rq_len;
 	left_ppas -= rq_ppas;
 	if (left_ppas)
 		goto next_rq;
+
 free_rqd_dma:
 	nvm_dev_dma_free(dev->parent, rqd.meta_list, rqd.dma_meta_list);
 	return ret;
 }
 
-u64 pblk_line_smeta_start(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
-{
-	struct nvm_tgt_dev *dev = pblk->dev;
-	struct nvm_geo *geo = &dev->geo;
-	struct pblk_line_meta *lm = &pblk->lm;
-	int bit;
-
-	/* This usually only happens on bad lines */
-	bit = find_first_zero_bit(line->blk_bitmap, lm->blk_per_line);
-	if (bit >= lm->blk_per_line)
-		return -1;
-
-	return bit * geo->ws_opt;
-}
-
-static int pblk_line_submit_smeta_io(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
-				     u64 paddr, int dir)
-{
-	struct nvm_tgt_dev *dev = pblk->dev;
-	struct pblk_line_meta *lm = &pblk->lm;
-	struct bio *bio;
-	struct nvm_rq rqd;
-	__le64 *lba_list = NULL;
-	int i, ret;
-	int cmd_op, bio_op;
-
-	if (dir == PBLK_WRITE) {
-		bio_op = REQ_OP_WRITE;
-		cmd_op = NVM_OP_PWRITE;
-		lba_list = emeta_to_lbas(pblk, line->emeta->buf);
-	} else if (dir == PBLK_READ_RECOV || dir == PBLK_READ) {
-		bio_op = REQ_OP_READ;
-		cmd_op = NVM_OP_PREAD;
-	} else
-		return -EINVAL;
-
-	memset(&rqd, 0, sizeof(struct nvm_rq));
-
-	rqd.meta_list = nvm_dev_dma_alloc(dev->parent, GFP_KERNEL,
-							&rqd.dma_meta_list);
-	if (!rqd.meta_list)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
-	rqd.ppa_list = rqd.meta_list + pblk_dma_meta_size;
-	rqd.dma_ppa_list = rqd.dma_meta_list + pblk_dma_meta_size;
-
-	bio = bio_map_kern(dev->q, line->smeta, lm->smeta_len, GFP_KERNEL);
-	if (IS_ERR(bio)) {
-		ret = PTR_ERR(bio);
-		goto free_ppa_list;
-	}
-
-	bio->bi_iter.bi_sector = 0; /* internal bio */
-	bio_set_op_attrs(bio, bio_op, 0);
-
-	rqd.bio = bio;
-	rqd.opcode = cmd_op;
-	rqd.is_seq = 1;
-	rqd.nr_ppas = lm->smeta_sec;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < lm->smeta_sec; i++, paddr++) {
-		struct pblk_sec_meta *meta_list = rqd.meta_list;
-
-		rqd.ppa_list[i] = addr_to_gen_ppa(pblk, paddr, line->id);
-
-		if (dir == PBLK_WRITE) {
-			__le64 addr_empty = cpu_to_le64(ADDR_EMPTY);
-
-			meta_list[i].lba = lba_list[paddr] = addr_empty;
-		}
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * This I/O is sent by the write thread when a line is replace. Since
-	 * the write thread is the only one sending write and erase commands,
-	 * there is no need to take the LUN semaphore.
-	 */
-	ret = pblk_submit_io_sync(pblk, &rqd);
-	if (ret) {
-		pblk_err(pblk, "smeta I/O submission failed: %d\n", ret);
-		bio_put(bio);
-		goto free_ppa_list;
-	}
-
-	atomic_dec(&pblk->inflight_io);
-
-	if (rqd.error) {
-		if (dir == PBLK_WRITE) {
-			pblk_log_write_err(pblk, &rqd);
-			ret = 1;
-		} else if (dir == PBLK_READ)
-			pblk_log_read_err(pblk, &rqd);
-	}
-
-free_ppa_list:
-	nvm_dev_dma_free(dev->parent, rqd.meta_list, rqd.dma_meta_list);
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
-int pblk_line_read_smeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
-{
-	u64 bpaddr = pblk_line_smeta_start(pblk, line);
-
-	return pblk_line_submit_smeta_io(pblk, line, bpaddr, PBLK_READ_RECOV);
-}
-
-int pblk_line_read_emeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
-			 void *emeta_buf)
-{
-	return pblk_line_submit_emeta_io(pblk, line, emeta_buf,
-						line->emeta_ssec, PBLK_READ);
-}
-
 static void pblk_setup_e_rq(struct pblk *pblk, struct nvm_rq *rqd,
 			    struct ppa_addr ppa)
 {
@@ -1150,7 +1128,7 @@ static int pblk_line_init_bb(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
 	line->smeta_ssec = off;
 	line->cur_sec = off + lm->smeta_sec;
 
-	if (init && pblk_line_submit_smeta_io(pblk, line, off, PBLK_WRITE)) {
+	if (init && pblk_line_smeta_write(pblk, line, off)) {
 		pblk_debug(pblk, "line smeta I/O failed. Retry\n");
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
index b0f0c637df3a..73e64c1b55ef 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ static __le64 *get_lba_list_from_emeta(struct pblk *pblk,
 	if (!emeta_buf)
 		return NULL;
 
-	ret = pblk_line_read_emeta(pblk, line, emeta_buf);
+	ret = pblk_line_emeta_read(pblk, line, emeta_buf);
 	if (ret) {
 		pblk_err(pblk, "line %d read emeta failed (%d)\n",
 				line->id, ret);
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-recovery.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-recovery.c
index c641a9ed5f39..95ea5072b27e 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-recovery.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-recovery.c
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ struct pblk_line *pblk_recov_l2p(struct pblk *pblk)
 			continue;
 
 		/* Lines that cannot be read are assumed as not written here */
-		if (pblk_line_read_smeta(pblk, line))
+		if (pblk_line_smeta_read(pblk, line))
 			continue;
 
 		crc = pblk_calc_smeta_crc(pblk, smeta_buf);
@@ -909,7 +909,7 @@ struct pblk_line *pblk_recov_l2p(struct pblk *pblk)
 		line->emeta = emeta;
 		memset(line->emeta->buf, 0, lm->emeta_len[0]);
 
-		if (pblk_line_read_emeta(pblk, line, line->emeta->buf)) {
+		if (pblk_line_emeta_read(pblk, line, line->emeta->buf)) {
 			pblk_recov_l2p_from_oob(pblk, line);
 			goto next;
 		}
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
index 6195e3f5d2e6..e29fd35d2991 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
@@ -817,8 +817,8 @@ void pblk_gen_run_ws(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line, void *priv,
 		     void (*work)(struct work_struct *), gfp_t gfp_mask,
 		     struct workqueue_struct *wq);
 u64 pblk_line_smeta_start(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line);
-int pblk_line_read_smeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line);
-int pblk_line_read_emeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
+int pblk_line_smeta_read(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line);
+int pblk_line_emeta_read(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line,
 			 void *emeta_buf);
 int pblk_blk_erase_async(struct pblk *pblk, struct ppa_addr erase_ppa);
 void pblk_line_put(struct kref *ref);
