diff --git a/hw/char/imx_serial.c b/hw/char/imx_serial.c
index 0747db9f2b91..1e363190e3d6 100644
--- a/hw/char/imx_serial.c
+++ b/hw/char/imx_serial.c
@@ -74,8 +74,9 @@ static void imx_update(IMXSerialState *s)
     mask = (s->ucr1 & UCR1_TXMPTYEN) ? USR2_TXFE : 0;
     /*
      * TCEN and TXDC are both bit 3
+     * RDR and DREN are both bit 0
      */
-    mask |= s->ucr4 & UCR4_TCEN;
+    mask |= s->ucr4 & (UCR4_TCEN | UCR4_DREN);
 
     usr2 = s->usr2 & mask;
 
diff --git a/include/hw/char/imx_serial.h b/include/hw/char/imx_serial.h
index ee80da12e602..c8b74284f87f 100644
--- a/include/hw/char/imx_serial.h
+++ b/include/hw/char/imx_serial.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 #define UCR2_RXEN       (1<<1)    /* Receiver enable */
 #define UCR2_SRST       (1<<0)    /* Reset complete */
 
+#define UCR4_DREN       BIT(0)    /* Receive Data Ready interrupt enable */
 #define UCR4_TCEN       BIT(3)    /* TX complete interrupt enable */
 
 #define UTS1_TXEMPTY    (1<<6)