diff --git a/hw/ppc/ppc.c b/hw/ppc/ppc.c
index dc86c1c7db..4e816c68c7 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/ppc.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/ppc.c
@@ -44,13 +44,9 @@ void ppc_set_irq(PowerPCCPU *cpu, int irq, int level)
 {
     CPUPPCState *env = &cpu->env;
     unsigned int old_pending;
-    bool locked = false;
 
     /* We may already have the BQL if coming from the reset path */
-    if (!qemu_mutex_iothread_locked()) {
-        locked = true;
-        qemu_mutex_lock_iothread();
-    }
+    QEMU_IOTHREAD_LOCK_GUARD();
 
     old_pending = env->pending_interrupts;
 
@@ -67,10 +63,6 @@ void ppc_set_irq(PowerPCCPU *cpu, int irq, int level)
 
     trace_ppc_irq_set_exit(env, irq, level, env->pending_interrupts,
                            CPU(cpu)->interrupt_request);
-
-    if (locked) {
-        qemu_mutex_unlock_iothread();
-    }
 }
 
 /* PowerPC 6xx / 7xx internal IRQ controller */