diff --git a/drivers/iio/adc/at91-sama5d2_adc.c b/drivers/iio/adc/at91-sama5d2_adc.c
index de9583d6cddd7..f94641193b980 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/adc/at91-sama5d2_adc.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/adc/at91-sama5d2_adc.c
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ static bool at91_adc_current_chan_is_touch(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 			       AT91_SAMA5D2_MAX_CHAN_IDX + 1);
 }
 
-static int at91_adc_buffer_preenable(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
+static int at91_adc_buffer_prepare(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 {
 	int ret;
 	u8 bit;
@@ -901,7 +901,7 @@ static int at91_adc_buffer_preenable(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 	/* we continue with the triggered buffer */
 	ret = at91_adc_dma_start(indio_dev);
 	if (ret) {
-		dev_err(&indio_dev->dev, "buffer postenable failed\n");
+		dev_err(&indio_dev->dev, "buffer prepare failed\n");
 		return ret;
 	}
 
@@ -989,7 +989,6 @@ static int at91_adc_buffer_postdisable(struct iio_dev *indio_dev)
 }
 
 static const struct iio_buffer_setup_ops at91_buffer_setup_ops = {
-	.preenable = &at91_adc_buffer_preenable,
 	.postdisable = &at91_adc_buffer_postdisable,
 };
 
@@ -1563,6 +1562,7 @@ static void at91_adc_dma_disable(struct platform_device *pdev)
 static int at91_adc_set_watermark(struct iio_dev *indio_dev, unsigned int val)
 {
 	struct at91_adc_state *st = iio_priv(indio_dev);
+	int ret;
 
 	if (val > AT91_HWFIFO_MAX_SIZE)
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -1586,7 +1586,15 @@ static int at91_adc_set_watermark(struct iio_dev *indio_dev, unsigned int val)
 	else if (val > 1)
 		at91_adc_dma_init(to_platform_device(&indio_dev->dev));
 
-	return 0;
+	/*
+	 * We can start the DMA only after setting the watermark and
+	 * having the DMA initialization completed
+	 */
+	ret = at91_adc_buffer_prepare(indio_dev);
+	if (ret)
+		at91_adc_dma_disable(to_platform_device(&indio_dev->dev));
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static int at91_adc_update_scan_mode(struct iio_dev *indio_dev,