diff --git a/kernel/irq/chip.c b/kernel/irq/chip.c
index cc54c6276356..fdb3fbe2b0c4 100644
--- a/kernel/irq/chip.c
+++ b/kernel/irq/chip.c
@@ -245,6 +245,17 @@ static unsigned int default_startup(unsigned int irq)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * default shutdown function
+ */
+static void default_shutdown(unsigned int irq)
+{
+	struct irq_desc *desc = irq_desc + irq;
+
+	desc->chip->mask(irq);
+	desc->status |= IRQ_MASKED;
+}
+
 /*
  * Fixup enable/disable function pointers
  */
@@ -256,8 +267,15 @@ void irq_chip_set_defaults(struct irq_chip *chip)
 		chip->disable = default_disable;
 	if (!chip->startup)
 		chip->startup = default_startup;
+	/*
+	 * We use chip->disable, when the user provided its own. When
+	 * we have default_disable set for chip->disable, then we need
+	 * to use default_shutdown, otherwise the irq line is not
+	 * disabled on free_irq():
+	 */
 	if (!chip->shutdown)
-		chip->shutdown = chip->disable;
+		chip->shutdown = chip->disable != default_disable ?
+			chip->disable : default_shutdown;
 	if (!chip->name)
 		chip->name = chip->typename;
 	if (!chip->end)