diff --git a/hw/sparc/sun4m.c b/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
index 61416a6426..873cd7df9a 100644
--- a/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
+++ b/hw/sparc/sun4m.c
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ void cpu_check_irqs(CPUSPARCState *env)
 {
     CPUState *cs;
 
+    /* We should be holding the BQL before we mess with IRQs */
+    g_assert(qemu_mutex_iothread_locked());
+
     if (env->pil_in && (env->interrupt_index == 0 ||
                         (env->interrupt_index & ~15) == TT_EXTINT)) {
         unsigned int i;
diff --git a/hw/sparc64/sparc64.c b/hw/sparc64/sparc64.c
index b3d219c769..4e4fdab065 100644
--- a/hw/sparc64/sparc64.c
+++ b/hw/sparc64/sparc64.c
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ void cpu_check_irqs(CPUSPARCState *env)
     uint32_t pil = env->pil_in |
                   (env->softint & ~(SOFTINT_TIMER | SOFTINT_STIMER));
 
+    /* We should be holding the BQL before we mess with IRQs */
+    g_assert(qemu_mutex_iothread_locked());
+
     /* TT_IVEC has a higher priority (16) than TT_EXTINT (31..17) */
     if (env->ivec_status & 0x20) {
         return;
diff --git a/target/sparc/int64_helper.c b/target/sparc/int64_helper.c
index 605747c93c..f942973c22 100644
--- a/target/sparc/int64_helper.c
+++ b/target/sparc/int64_helper.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
+#include "qemu/main-loop.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
 #include "exec/helper-proto.h"
 #include "exec/log.h"
@@ -208,7 +209,9 @@ static bool do_modify_softint(CPUSPARCState *env, uint32_t value)
         env->softint = value;
 #if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
         if (cpu_interrupts_enabled(env)) {
+            qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
             cpu_check_irqs(env);
+            qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
         }
 #endif
         return true;
diff --git a/target/sparc/win_helper.c b/target/sparc/win_helper.c
index 71b3dd37e8..154279ecda 100644
--- a/target/sparc/win_helper.c
+++ b/target/sparc/win_helper.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
+#include "qemu/main-loop.h"
 #include "cpu.h"
 #include "exec/exec-all.h"
 #include "exec/helper-proto.h"
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ void cpu_put_psr_raw(CPUSPARCState *env, target_ulong val)
 #endif
 }
 
+/* Called with BQL held */
 void cpu_put_psr(CPUSPARCState *env, target_ulong val)
 {
     cpu_put_psr_raw(env, val);
@@ -153,7 +155,10 @@ void helper_wrpsr(CPUSPARCState *env, target_ulong new_psr)
     if ((new_psr & PSR_CWP) >= env->nwindows) {
         cpu_raise_exception_ra(env, TT_ILL_INSN, GETPC());
     } else {
+        /* cpu_put_psr may trigger interrupts, hence BQL */
+        qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
         cpu_put_psr(env, new_psr);
+        qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
     }
 }
 
@@ -368,7 +373,9 @@ void helper_wrpstate(CPUSPARCState *env, target_ulong new_state)
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
     if (cpu_interrupts_enabled(env)) {
+        qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
         cpu_check_irqs(env);
+        qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
     }
 #endif
 }
@@ -381,7 +388,9 @@ void helper_wrpil(CPUSPARCState *env, target_ulong new_pil)
     env->psrpil = new_pil;
 
     if (cpu_interrupts_enabled(env)) {
+        qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
         cpu_check_irqs(env);
+        qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
     }
 #endif
 }
@@ -408,7 +417,9 @@ void helper_done(CPUSPARCState *env)
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
     if (cpu_interrupts_enabled(env)) {
+        qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
         cpu_check_irqs(env);
+        qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
     }
 #endif
 }
@@ -435,7 +446,9 @@ void helper_retry(CPUSPARCState *env)
 
 #if !defined(CONFIG_USER_ONLY)
     if (cpu_interrupts_enabled(env)) {
+        qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
         cpu_check_irqs(env);
+        qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
     }
 #endif
 }