diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/qcom/venus/core.c b/drivers/media/platform/qcom/venus/core.c
index 54bac7ec14c5..91b15842c555 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/qcom/venus/core.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/qcom/venus/core.c
@@ -78,22 +78,32 @@ static const struct hfi_core_ops venus_core_ops = {
 	.event_notify = venus_event_notify,
 };
 
+#define RPM_WAIT_FOR_IDLE_MAX_ATTEMPTS 10
+
 static void venus_sys_error_handler(struct work_struct *work)
 {
 	struct venus_core *core =
 			container_of(work, struct venus_core, work.work);
-	int ret = 0;
+	int ret, i, max_attempts = RPM_WAIT_FOR_IDLE_MAX_ATTEMPTS;
+	const char *err_msg = "";
+	bool failed = false;
 
-	pm_runtime_get_sync(core->dev);
+	ret = pm_runtime_get_sync(core->dev);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		err_msg = "resume runtime PM";
+		max_attempts = 0;
+		failed = true;
+	}
 
 	hfi_core_deinit(core, true);
 
-	dev_warn(core->dev, "system error has occurred, starting recovery!\n");
-
 	mutex_lock(&core->lock);
 
-	while (pm_runtime_active(core->dev_dec) || pm_runtime_active(core->dev_enc))
+	for (i = 0; i < max_attempts; i++) {
+		if (!pm_runtime_active(core->dev_dec) && !pm_runtime_active(core->dev_enc))
+			break;
 		msleep(10);
+	}
 
 	venus_shutdown(core);
 
@@ -101,31 +111,55 @@ static void venus_sys_error_handler(struct work_struct *work)
 
 	pm_runtime_put_sync(core->dev);
 
-	while (core->pmdomains[0] && pm_runtime_active(core->pmdomains[0]))
+	for (i = 0; i < max_attempts; i++) {
+		if (!core->pmdomains[0] || !pm_runtime_active(core->pmdomains[0]))
+			break;
 		usleep_range(1000, 1500);
+	}
 
 	hfi_reinit(core);
 
-	pm_runtime_get_sync(core->dev);
+	ret = pm_runtime_get_sync(core->dev);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		err_msg = "resume runtime PM";
+		failed = true;
+	}
 
-	ret |= venus_boot(core);
-	ret |= hfi_core_resume(core, true);
+	ret = venus_boot(core);
+	if (ret && !failed) {
+		err_msg = "boot Venus";
+		failed = true;
+	}
+
+	ret = hfi_core_resume(core, true);
+	if (ret && !failed) {
+		err_msg = "resume HFI";
+		failed = true;
+	}
 
 	enable_irq(core->irq);
 
 	mutex_unlock(&core->lock);
 
-	ret |= hfi_core_init(core);
+	ret = hfi_core_init(core);
+	if (ret && !failed) {
+		err_msg = "init HFI";
+		failed = true;
+	}
 
 	pm_runtime_put_sync(core->dev);
 
-	if (ret) {
+	if (failed) {
 		disable_irq_nosync(core->irq);
-		dev_warn(core->dev, "recovery failed (%d)\n", ret);
+		dev_warn_ratelimited(core->dev,
+				     "System error has occurred, recovery failed to %s\n",
+				     err_msg);
 		schedule_delayed_work(&core->work, msecs_to_jiffies(10));
 		return;
 	}
 
+	dev_warn(core->dev, "system error has occurred (recovered)\n");
+
 	mutex_lock(&core->lock);
 	core->sys_error = false;
 	mutex_unlock(&core->lock);