diff --git a/sys/dev/smartpqi/smartpqi_mem.c b/sys/dev/smartpqi/smartpqi_mem.c
--- a/sys/dev/smartpqi/smartpqi_mem.c
+++ b/sys/dev/smartpqi/smartpqi_mem.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
 	}
 
 	if ((ret = bus_dmamem_alloc(dma_mem->dma_tag, (void **)&dma_mem->virt_addr,
-		BUS_DMA_WAITOK, &dma_mem->dma_map)) != 0) {
+		BUS_DMA_NOWAIT, &dma_mem->dma_map)) != 0) {
 		DBG_ERR("can't allocate DMA memory for required object \
 				with error = 0x%x\n", ret);
 		goto err_mem;