diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
index 10aa0d8ea186aa..6fe15cd6218888 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ int sof_widget_free(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 		.id = swidget->comp_id,
 	};
 	struct sof_ipc_reply reply;
-	int ret;
+	int ret, core;
 
 	if (!swidget->private)
 		return 0;
@@ -116,10 +116,17 @@ int sof_widget_free(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 	if (--swidget->use_count)
 		return 0;
 
+	core = swidget->core;
+
 	switch (swidget->id) {
 	case snd_soc_dapm_scheduler:
+	{
+		const struct sof_ipc_pipe_new *pipeline = swidget->private;
+
+		core = pipeline->core;
 		ipc_free.hdr.cmd |= SOF_IPC_TPLG_PIPE_FREE;
 		break;
+	}
 	case snd_soc_dapm_buffer:
 		ipc_free.hdr.cmd |= SOF_IPC_TPLG_BUFFER_FREE;
 		break;
@@ -128,20 +135,27 @@ int sof_widget_free(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 		break;
 	}
 
+	/* continue to disable core even if IPC fails */
 	ret = sof_ipc_tx_message(sdev->ipc, ipc_free.hdr.cmd, &ipc_free, sizeof(ipc_free),
 				 &reply, sizeof(reply));
-	if (ret < 0) {
+	if (ret < 0)
 		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: failed to free widget %s\n", swidget->widget->name);
-		swidget->use_count++;
-		return ret;
-	}
+
+	/*
+	 * disable widget core. continue to route setup status and complete flag
+	 * even if this fails
+	 */
+	if (snd_sof_dsp_core_put(sdev, core) < 0)
+		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: failed to disable target core: %d for widget %s\n",
+			core, swidget->widget->name);
+
 
 	/* reset route setup status for all routes that contain this widget */
 	sof_reset_route_setup_status(sdev, swidget);
 	swidget->complete = 0;
 	dev_dbg(sdev->dev, "widget %s freed\n", swidget->widget->name);
 
-	return 0;
+	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(sof_widget_free);
 
@@ -154,6 +168,7 @@ int sof_widget_setup(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 	struct snd_sof_dai *dai;
 	size_t ipc_size;
 	int ret;
+	int core;
 
 	/* skip if there is no private data */
 	if (!swidget->private)
@@ -163,11 +178,20 @@ int sof_widget_setup(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 	if (++swidget->use_count > 1)
 		return 0;
 
-	ret = sof_pipeline_core_enable(sdev, swidget);
+	/* set core ID */
+	core = swidget->core;
+	if (swidget->id == snd_soc_dapm_scheduler) {
+		pipeline = swidget->private;
+		core = pipeline->core;
+	}
+
+	/* enable widget core */
+	ret = snd_sof_dsp_core_get(sdev, core);
 	if (ret < 0) {
-		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: failed to enable target core: %d for widget %s\n",
-			ret, swidget->widget->name);
-		goto use_count_dec;
+		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: failed to enable target core for widget %s\n",
+			swidget->widget->name);
+		swidget->use_count--;
+		return ret;
 	}
 
 	switch (swidget->id) {
@@ -175,8 +199,10 @@ int sof_widget_setup(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 	case snd_soc_dapm_dai_out:
 		ipc_size = sizeof(struct sof_ipc_comp_dai) + sizeof(struct sof_ipc_comp_ext);
 		comp = kzalloc(ipc_size, GFP_KERNEL);
-		if (!comp)
-			return -ENOMEM;
+		if (!comp) {
+			ret = -ENOMEM;
+			goto use_count_dec;
+		}
 
 		dai = swidget->private;
 		dai->configured = false;
@@ -204,7 +230,9 @@ int sof_widget_setup(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 		break;
 	case snd_soc_dapm_scheduler:
 		pipeline = swidget->private;
-		ret = sof_load_pipeline_ipc(sdev, pipeline, &r);
+		ret = sof_ipc_tx_message(sdev->ipc, pipeline->hdr.cmd, pipeline,
+				 sizeof(*pipeline), &r, sizeof(r));
+		swidget->complete = 0;
 		break;
 	default:
 		hdr = swidget->private;
@@ -232,6 +260,7 @@ int sof_widget_setup(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
 
 use_count_dec:
 	swidget->use_count--;
+	snd_sof_dsp_core_put(sdev, core);
 	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(sof_widget_setup);
@@ -416,6 +445,8 @@ int sof_widget_list_setup(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, struct snd_sof_pcm *spcm, in
 
 		pipe_widget->complete = snd_sof_complete_pipeline(sdev, pipe_widget);
 		if (pipe_widget->complete < 0) {
+			dev_err(sdev->dev, "failed to complete pipeline %s\n",
+				pipe_widget->widget->name);
 			ret = pipe_widget->complete;
 			goto widget_free;
 		}
@@ -675,6 +706,7 @@ int sof_set_up_pipelines(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, bool verify)
  */
 int sof_tear_down_pipelines(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, bool verify)
 {
+	struct sof_ipc_fw_version *v = &sdev->fw_ready.version;
 	struct snd_sof_widget *swidget;
 	struct snd_sof_route *sroute;
 	int ret;
@@ -686,8 +718,14 @@ int sof_tear_down_pipelines(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, bool verify)
 	 * loading the sound card unavailable to open PCMs.
 	 */
 	list_for_each_entry_reverse(swidget, &sdev->widget_list, list) {
-		if (!verify) {
+		if (swidget->dynamic_pipeline_widget)
+			continue;
+
+		/* Do not free widgets for static pipelines with FW ABI older than 3.19 */
+		if (!verify && !swidget->dynamic_pipeline_widget &&
+		    v->abi_version < SOF_ABI_VER(3, 19, 0)) {
 			swidget->use_count = 0;
+			swidget->complete = 0;
 			continue;
 		}
 
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.h b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.h
index fe2ffe02fdfb1b..d47149ac23488b 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.h
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/sof-audio.h
@@ -184,12 +184,6 @@ int snd_sof_load_topology(struct snd_soc_component *scomp, const char *file);
 int snd_sof_complete_pipeline(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
 			      struct snd_sof_widget *swidget);
 
-int sof_load_pipeline_ipc(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
-			  struct sof_ipc_pipe_new *pipeline,
-			  struct sof_ipc_comp_reply *r);
-int sof_pipeline_core_enable(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
-			     const struct snd_sof_widget *swidget);
-
 /*
  * Stream IPC
  */
diff --git a/sound/soc/sof/topology.c b/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
index 2bc55c7e268b5b..bd6267ef0066e1 100644
--- a/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
+++ b/sound/soc/sof/topology.c
@@ -1329,69 +1329,6 @@ static int sof_control_unload(struct snd_soc_component *scomp,
  * DAI Topology
  */
 
-/* Static DSP core power management so far, should be extended in the future */
-static int sof_core_enable(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev, int core)
-{
-	struct sof_ipc_pm_core_config pm_core_config = {
-		.hdr = {
-			.cmd = SOF_IPC_GLB_PM_MSG | SOF_IPC_PM_CORE_ENABLE,
-			.size = sizeof(pm_core_config),
-		},
-		.enable_mask = sdev->enabled_cores_mask | BIT(core),
-	};
-	int ret;
-
-	if (sdev->enabled_cores_mask & BIT(core))
-		return 0;
-
-	/* power up the core if it is host managed */
-	ret = snd_sof_dsp_core_power_up(sdev, BIT(core));
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: %d powering up core %d\n",
-			ret, core);
-		return ret;
-	}
-
-	/* Now notify DSP */
-	ret = sof_ipc_tx_message(sdev->ipc, pm_core_config.hdr.cmd,
-				 &pm_core_config, sizeof(pm_core_config),
-				 &pm_core_config, sizeof(pm_core_config));
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: core %d enable ipc failure %d\n",
-			core, ret);
-		goto err;
-	}
-	return ret;
-err:
-	/* power down core if it is host managed and return the original error if this fails too */
-	if (snd_sof_dsp_core_power_down(sdev, BIT(core)) < 0)
-		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: powering down core %d\n", core);
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
-int sof_pipeline_core_enable(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
-			     const struct snd_sof_widget *swidget)
-{
-	const struct sof_ipc_pipe_new *pipeline;
-	int ret;
-
-	if (swidget->id == snd_soc_dapm_scheduler) {
-		pipeline = swidget->private;
-	} else {
-		pipeline = snd_sof_pipeline_find(sdev, swidget->pipeline_id);
-		if (!pipeline)
-			return -ENOENT;
-	}
-
-	/* First enable the pipeline core */
-	ret = sof_core_enable(sdev, pipeline->core);
-	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
-
-	return sof_core_enable(sdev, swidget->core);
-}
-
 static int sof_connect_dai_widget(struct snd_soc_component *scomp,
 				  struct snd_soc_dapm_widget *w,
 				  struct snd_soc_tplg_dapm_widget *tw,
@@ -1687,26 +1624,6 @@ static int sof_widget_load_pcm(struct snd_soc_component *scomp, int index,
 	return ret;
 }
 
-/*
- * Pipeline Topology
- */
-int sof_load_pipeline_ipc(struct snd_sof_dev *sdev,
-			  struct sof_ipc_pipe_new *pipeline,
-			  struct sof_ipc_comp_reply *r)
-{
-	int ret = sof_core_enable(sdev, pipeline->core);
-
-	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
-
-	ret = sof_ipc_tx_message(sdev->ipc, pipeline->hdr.cmd, pipeline,
-				 sizeof(*pipeline), r, sizeof(*r));
-	if (ret < 0)
-		dev_err(sdev->dev, "error: load pipeline ipc failure\n");
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
 static int sof_widget_load_pipeline(struct snd_soc_component *scomp, int index,
 				    struct snd_sof_widget *swidget,
 				    struct snd_soc_tplg_dapm_widget *tw)
@@ -2485,10 +2402,8 @@ static int sof_route_unload(struct snd_soc_component *scomp,
 static int sof_widget_unload(struct snd_soc_component *scomp,
 			     struct snd_soc_dobj *dobj)
 {
-	struct snd_sof_dev *sdev = snd_soc_component_get_drvdata(scomp);
 	const struct snd_kcontrol_new *kc;
 	struct snd_soc_dapm_widget *widget;
-	struct sof_ipc_pipe_new *pipeline;
 	struct snd_sof_control *scontrol;
 	struct snd_sof_widget *swidget;
 	struct soc_mixer_control *sm;
@@ -2515,24 +2430,6 @@ static int sof_widget_unload(struct snd_soc_component *scomp,
 			list_del(&dai->list);
 		}
 		break;
-	case snd_soc_dapm_scheduler:
-
-		/* power down the pipeline schedule core */
-		pipeline = swidget->private;
-
-		/*
-		 * Runtime PM should still function normally if topology loading fails and
-		 * it's components are unloaded. Do not power down the primary core so that the
-		 * CTX_SAVE IPC can succeed during runtime suspend.
-		 */
-		if (pipeline->core == SOF_DSP_PRIMARY_CORE)
-			break;
-
-		ret = snd_sof_dsp_core_power_down(sdev, 1 << pipeline->core);
-		if (ret < 0)
-			dev_err(scomp->dev, "error: powering down pipeline schedule core %d\n",
-				pipeline->core);
-		break;
 	default:
 		break;
 	}