diff --git a/drivers/mailbox/imx-mailbox.c b/drivers/mailbox/imx-mailbox.c
index 0028073be4a7..e261b382d5c9 100644
--- a/drivers/mailbox/imx-mailbox.c
+++ b/drivers/mailbox/imx-mailbox.c
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ struct imx_mu_con_priv {
 	enum imx_mu_chan_type	type;
 	struct mbox_chan	*chan;
 	struct work_struct 	txdb_work;
+	bool			shutdown;
 };
 
 struct imx_mu_priv {
@@ -219,6 +220,36 @@ static u32 imx_mu_xcr_rmw(struct imx_mu_priv *priv, enum imx_mu_xcr type, u32 se
 	return val;
 }
 
+static void imx_mu_xcr_clr_shut(struct imx_mu_priv *priv, struct imx_mu_con_priv *cp,
+				enum imx_mu_xcr type, u32 clr)
+{
+	unsigned long flags;
+	u32 val;
+
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&priv->xcr_lock, flags);
+	cp->shutdown = true;
+
+	val = imx_mu_read(priv, priv->dcfg->xCR[type]);
+	val &= ~clr;
+	imx_mu_write(priv, val, priv->dcfg->xCR[type]);
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&priv->xcr_lock, flags);
+}
+
+static void imx_mu_xcr_set_act(struct imx_mu_priv *priv, struct imx_mu_con_priv *cp,
+			       enum imx_mu_xcr type, u32 set)
+{
+	unsigned long flags;
+	u32 val;
+
+	spin_lock_irqsave(&priv->xcr_lock, flags);
+	if (!cp->shutdown) {
+		val = imx_mu_read(priv, priv->dcfg->xCR[type]);
+		val |= set;
+		imx_mu_write(priv, val, priv->dcfg->xCR[type]);
+	}
+	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&priv->xcr_lock, flags);
+}
+
 static int imx_mu_generic_tx(struct imx_mu_priv *priv,
 			     struct imx_mu_con_priv *cp,
 			     void *data)
@@ -377,7 +408,7 @@ static int imx_mu_specific_rx(struct imx_mu_priv *priv, struct imx_mu_con_priv *
 		*data++ = imx_mu_read(priv, priv->dcfg->xRR + (i % num_rr) * 4);
 	}
 
-	imx_mu_xcr_rmw(priv, IMX_MU_RCR, IMX_MU_xCR_RIEn(priv->dcfg->type, 0), 0);
+	imx_mu_xcr_set_act(priv, cp, IMX_MU_RCR, IMX_MU_xCR_RIEn(priv->dcfg->type, 0));
 	mbox_chan_received_data(cp->chan, (void *)priv->msg);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -605,6 +636,7 @@ static int imx_mu_startup(struct mbox_chan *chan)
 		return ret;
 	}
 
+	cp->shutdown = false;
 	switch (cp->type) {
 	case IMX_MU_TYPE_RX:
 		imx_mu_xcr_rmw(priv, IMX_MU_RCR, IMX_MU_xCR_RIEn(priv->dcfg->type, cp->idx), 0);
@@ -639,13 +671,13 @@ static void imx_mu_shutdown(struct mbox_chan *chan)
 
 	switch (cp->type) {
 	case IMX_MU_TYPE_TX:
-		imx_mu_xcr_rmw(priv, IMX_MU_TCR, 0, IMX_MU_xCR_TIEn(priv->dcfg->type, cp->idx));
+		imx_mu_xcr_clr_shut(priv, cp, IMX_MU_TCR, IMX_MU_xCR_TIEn(priv->dcfg->type, cp->idx));
 		break;
 	case IMX_MU_TYPE_RX:
-		imx_mu_xcr_rmw(priv, IMX_MU_RCR, 0, IMX_MU_xCR_RIEn(priv->dcfg->type, cp->idx));
+		imx_mu_xcr_clr_shut(priv, cp, IMX_MU_RCR, IMX_MU_xCR_RIEn(priv->dcfg->type, cp->idx));
 		break;
 	case IMX_MU_TYPE_RXDB:
-		imx_mu_xcr_rmw(priv, IMX_MU_GIER, 0, IMX_MU_xCR_GIEn(priv->dcfg->type, cp->idx));
+		imx_mu_xcr_clr_shut(priv, cp, IMX_MU_GIER, IMX_MU_xCR_GIEn(priv->dcfg->type, cp->idx));
 		break;
 	case IMX_MU_TYPE_RST:
 		imx_mu_xcr_rmw(priv, IMX_MU_CR, IMX_MU_xCR_RST(priv->dcfg->type), 0);