diff --git a/mm/mm_heap/mm.h b/mm/mm_heap/mm.h
index 6c06f733db246..80e225afcb17d 100644
--- a/mm/mm_heap/mm.h
+++ b/mm/mm_heap/mm.h
@@ -282,6 +282,8 @@ typedef CODE void (*mm_node_handler_t)(FAR struct mm_allocnode_s *node,
 
 int mm_lock(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap);
 void mm_unlock(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap);
+irqstate_t mm_lock_irq(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap);
+void mm_unlock_irq(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, irqstate_t state);
 
 /* Functions contained in mm_shrinkchunk.c **********************************/
 
diff --git a/mm/mm_heap/mm_free.c b/mm/mm_heap/mm_free.c
index 19a8a744a1b8c..b1482ebba5876 100644
--- a/mm/mm_heap/mm_free.c
+++ b/mm/mm_heap/mm_free.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static void add_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, FAR void *mem)
 
   /* Delay the deallocation until a more appropriate time. */
 
-  flags = up_irq_save();
+  flags = mm_lock_irq(heap);
 
 #  ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_ASSERTIONS
   FAR struct mm_freenode_s *node;
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static void add_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, FAR void *mem)
   heap->mm_delaycount[this_cpu()]++;
 #endif
 
-  up_irq_restore(flags);
+  mm_unlock_irq(heap, flags);
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/mm/mm_heap/mm_lock.c b/mm/mm_heap/mm_lock.c
index 862a4fc68ecad..eb9d8ddb18b79 100644
--- a/mm/mm_heap/mm_lock.c
+++ b/mm/mm_heap/mm_lock.c
@@ -117,3 +117,31 @@ void mm_unlock(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap)
 
   DEBUGVERIFY(nxmutex_unlock(&heap->mm_lock));
 }
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: mm_lock_irq
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   Locking by pausing interruption
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+irqstate_t mm_lock_irq(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap)
+{
+  UNUSED(heap);
+  return up_irq_save();
+}
+
+/****************************************************************************
+ * Name: mm_unlock_irq
+ *
+ * Description:
+ *   Release the lock by resuming the interrupt
+ *
+ ****************************************************************************/
+
+void mm_unlock_irq(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, irqstate_t state)
+{
+  UNUSED(heap);
+  up_irq_restore(state);
+}
diff --git a/mm/mm_heap/mm_malloc.c b/mm/mm_heap/mm_malloc.c
index dc201b16f5b65..d492b8225ff24 100644
--- a/mm/mm_heap/mm_malloc.c
+++ b/mm/mm_heap/mm_malloc.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static bool free_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, bool force)
 
   /* Move the delay list to local */
 
-  flags = up_irq_save();
+  flags = mm_lock_irq(heap);
 
   tmp = heap->mm_delaylist[this_cpu()];
 
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static bool free_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, bool force)
       (!force &&
         heap->mm_delaycount[this_cpu()] < CONFIG_MM_FREE_DELAYCOUNT_MAX))
     {
-      up_irq_restore(flags);
+      mm_unlock_irq(heap, flags);
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ static bool free_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, bool force)
 
   heap->mm_delaylist[this_cpu()] = NULL;
 
-  up_irq_restore(flags);
+  mm_unlock_irq(heap, flags);
 
   /* Test if the delayed is empty */
 
diff --git a/mm/tlsf/mm_tlsf.c b/mm/tlsf/mm_tlsf.c
index 2774dc8c7fd76..e60ad13a87671 100644
--- a/mm/tlsf/mm_tlsf.c
+++ b/mm/tlsf/mm_tlsf.c
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ static void add_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, FAR void *mem)
 
   /* Delay the deallocation until a more appropriate time. */
 
-  flags = up_irq_save();
+  flags = mm_lock_irq(heap);
 
   tmp->flink = heap->mm_delaylist[this_cpu()];
   heap->mm_delaylist[this_cpu()] = tmp;
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ static void add_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, FAR void *mem)
   heap->mm_delaycount[this_cpu()]++;
 #endif
 
-  up_irq_restore(flags);
+  mm_unlock_irq(heap, flags);
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ static bool free_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, bool force)
 
   /* Move the delay list to local */
 
-  flags = up_irq_save();
+  flags = mm_unlock_irq(heap);
 
   tmp = heap->mm_delaylist[this_cpu()];
 
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ static bool free_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, bool force)
       (!force &&
         heap->mm_delaycount[this_cpu()] < CONFIG_MM_FREE_DELAYCOUNT_MAX))
     {
-      up_irq_restore(flags);
+      mm_unlock_irq(heap, flags);
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ static bool free_delaylist(FAR struct mm_heap_s *heap, bool force)
 
   heap->mm_delaylist[this_cpu()] = NULL;
 
-  up_irq_restore(flags);
+  mm_unlock_irq(heap, flags);
 
   /* Test if the delayed is empty */