diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/mxs-auart.c b/drivers/tty/serial/mxs-auart.c
index de42dd4ec52..c75b27bcd21 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/mxs-auart.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/mxs-auart.c
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ auart_console_write(struct console *co, const char *str, unsigned int count)
 	struct mxs_auart_port *s;
 	struct uart_port *port;
 	unsigned int old_ctrl0, old_ctrl2;
-	unsigned int to = 1000;
+	unsigned int to = 20000;
 
 	if (co->index >	MXS_AUART_PORTS || co->index < 0)
 		return;
@@ -565,18 +565,23 @@ auart_console_write(struct console *co, const char *str, unsigned int count)
 
 	uart_console_write(port, str, count, mxs_auart_console_putchar);
 
-	/*
-	 * Finally, wait for transmitter to become empty
-	 * and restore the TCR
-	 */
+	/* Finally, wait for transmitter to become empty ... */
 	while (readl(port->membase + AUART_STAT) & AUART_STAT_BUSY) {
+		udelay(1);
 		if (!to--)
 			break;
-		udelay(1);
 	}
 
-	writel(old_ctrl0, port->membase + AUART_CTRL0);
-	writel(old_ctrl2, port->membase + AUART_CTRL2);
+	/*
+	 * ... and restore the TCR if we waited long enough for the transmitter
+	 * to be idle. This might keep the transmitter enabled although it is
+	 * unused, but that is better than to disable it while it is still
+	 * transmitting.
+	 */
+	if (!(readl(port->membase + AUART_STAT) & AUART_STAT_BUSY)) {
+		writel(old_ctrl0, port->membase + AUART_CTRL0);
+		writel(old_ctrl2, port->membase + AUART_CTRL2);
+	}
 
 	clk_disable(s->clk);
 }