diff --git a/firmware/libcommon/include/llist_irqsafe.h b/firmware/libcommon/include/llist_irqsafe.h
index 8aafcfbd..e6c893a9 100644
--- a/firmware/libcommon/include/llist_irqsafe.h
+++ b/firmware/libcommon/include/llist_irqsafe.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static inline void llist_add_tail_irqsafe(struct llist_head *_new,
 
 	local_irq_save(x);
 	llist_add_tail(_new, head);
-	__enable_irq();
+	local_irq_restore(x);
 }
 
 static inline struct llist_head *llist_head_dequeue_irqsafe(struct llist_head *head)
diff --git a/firmware/libcommon/source/card_emu.c b/firmware/libcommon/source/card_emu.c
index 9c908502..a1d44837 100644
--- a/firmware/libcommon/source/card_emu.c
+++ b/firmware/libcommon/source/card_emu.c
@@ -219,19 +219,31 @@ struct card_handle {
 static void card_handle_reset(struct card_handle *ch)
 {
 	struct msgb *msg;
+	unsigned long x;
 
 	card_emu_uart_update_wt(ch->uart_chan, 0);
 
-	/* release any buffers we may still own */
-	if (ch->uart_tx_msg) {
-		usb_buf_free(ch->uart_tx_msg);
-		ch->uart_tx_msg = NULL;
-	}
+	/* Release any buffers we may still own.
+	 * uart_tx_msg + uart_tx_queue are shared with the UART IRQ handler,
+	 * that preempts us here -> needs atomic detach and free */
+	local_irq_save(x);
+	msg = ch->uart_tx_msg;
+	ch->uart_tx_msg = NULL;
+	local_irq_restore(x);
+	if (msg)
+		usb_buf_free(msg);
+
 	if (ch->uart_rx_msg) {
 		usb_buf_free(ch->uart_rx_msg);
 		ch->uart_rx_msg = NULL;
 	}
-	while ((msg = msgb_dequeue(&ch->uart_tx_queue))) {
+
+	while (1) {
+		local_irq_save(x);
+		msg = msgb_dequeue(&ch->uart_tx_queue);
+		local_irq_restore(x);
+		if (!msg)
+			break;
 		usb_buf_free(msg);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/firmware/libcommon/source/mode_cardemu.c b/firmware/libcommon/source/mode_cardemu.c
index 3a0808d9..6c1ac8d7 100644
--- a/firmware/libcommon/source/mode_cardemu.c
+++ b/firmware/libcommon/source/mode_cardemu.c
@@ -737,7 +737,8 @@ static void dispatch_usb_command_cardem(struct msgb *msg, struct cardem_inst *ci
 	switch (hdr->msg_type) {
 	case SIMTRACE_MSGT_DT_CEMU_TX_DATA:
 		queue = card_emu_get_uart_tx_queue(ci->ch);
-		llist_add_tail(&msg->list, queue);
+		/* drained from the USART IRQ handler at highest NVIC prio */
+		llist_add_tail_irqsafe(&msg->list, queue);
 		card_emu_have_new_uart_tx(ci->ch);
 		break;
 	case SIMTRACE_MSGT_DT_CEMU_SET_ATR: