diff --git a/include/sound/aw88399.h b/include/sound/aw88399.h
index dee91b540b81..3dbc37dc13d1 100644
--- a/include/sound/aw88399.h
+++ b/include/sound/aw88399.h
@@ -599,6 +599,7 @@ struct aw88399 {
 	unsigned int vcalb_init_val;
 	unsigned int dither_st;
 	bool bsts_unreliable;
+	bool fw_needs_reload;
 };
 
 int aw_dev_check_syspll(struct aw_device *aw_dev);
diff --git a/sound/soc/codecs/aw88399-lib.c b/sound/soc/codecs/aw88399-lib.c
index 2045c4171be0..094a37b66fb5 100644
--- a/sound/soc/codecs/aw88399-lib.c
+++ b/sound/soc/codecs/aw88399-lib.c
@@ -1171,12 +1171,15 @@ void aw88399_start(struct aw88399 *aw88399, bool sync_start)
 	if (aw88399->aw_pa->status == AW88399_DEV_PW_ON)
 		return;
 
-	ret = aw88399_dev_fw_update(aw88399, AW88399_DSP_FW_UPDATE_OFF, true);
+	ret = aw88399_dev_fw_update(aw88399, aw88399->fw_needs_reload ?
+		AW88399_DSP_FW_UPDATE_ON : AW88399_DSP_FW_UPDATE_OFF, true);
 	if (ret) {
 		dev_err(aw88399->aw_pa->dev, "fw update failed.");
 		return;
 	}
 
+	aw88399->fw_needs_reload = false;
+
 	if (sync_start == AW88399_SYNC_START)
 		aw88399_start_pa(aw88399);
 	else