diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
index e1f1b7519771..52a603a01ddd 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.c
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@
 					 DW_IC_INTR_TX_ABRT | \
 					 DW_IC_INTR_STOP_DET)
 
-#define DW_IC_STATUS_ACTIVITY	0x1
+#define DW_IC_STATUS_ACTIVITY		0x1
+#define DW_IC_STATUS_TFE		BIT(2)
+#define DW_IC_STATUS_MST_ACTIVITY	BIT(5)
 
 #define DW_IC_ERR_TX_ABRT	0x1
 
@@ -461,9 +463,25 @@ static void i2c_dw_xfer_init(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 {
 	struct i2c_msg *msgs = dev->msgs;
 	u32 ic_tar = 0;
+	bool enabled;
 
-	/* Disable the adapter */
-	__i2c_dw_enable_and_wait(dev, false);
+	enabled = dw_readl(dev, DW_IC_ENABLE_STATUS) & 1;
+
+	if (enabled) {
+		u32 ic_status;
+
+		/*
+		 * Only disable adapter if ic_tar and ic_con can't be
+		 * dynamically updated
+		 */
+		ic_status = dw_readl(dev, DW_IC_STATUS);
+		if (!dev->dynamic_tar_update_enabled ||
+		    (ic_status & DW_IC_STATUS_MST_ACTIVITY) ||
+		    !(ic_status & DW_IC_STATUS_TFE)) {
+			__i2c_dw_enable_and_wait(dev, false);
+			enabled = false;
+		}
+	}
 
 	/* if the slave address is ten bit address, enable 10BITADDR */
 	if (dev->dynamic_tar_update_enabled) {
@@ -493,8 +511,8 @@ static void i2c_dw_xfer_init(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 	/* enforce disabled interrupts (due to HW issues) */
 	i2c_dw_disable_int(dev);
 
-	/* Enable the adapter */
-	__i2c_dw_enable(dev, true);
+	if (!enabled)
+		__i2c_dw_enable(dev, true);
 
 	/* Clear and enable interrupts */
 	dw_readl(dev, DW_IC_CLR_INTR);
@@ -675,7 +693,8 @@ static int i2c_dw_handle_tx_abort(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 }
 
 /*
- * Prepare controller for a transaction and call i2c_dw_xfer_msg
+ * Prepare controller for a transaction and start transfer by calling
+ * i2c_dw_xfer_init()
  */
 static int
 i2c_dw_xfer(struct i2c_adapter *adap, struct i2c_msg msgs[], int num)
@@ -718,16 +737,6 @@ i2c_dw_xfer(struct i2c_adapter *adap, struct i2c_msg msgs[], int num)
 		goto done;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * We must disable the adapter before returning and signaling the end
-	 * of the current transfer. Otherwise the hardware might continue
-	 * generating interrupts which in turn causes a race condition with
-	 * the following transfer.  Needs some more investigation if the
-	 * additional interrupts are a hardware bug or this driver doesn't
-	 * handle them correctly yet.
-	 */
-	__i2c_dw_enable(dev, false);
-
 	if (dev->msg_err) {
 		ret = dev->msg_err;
 		goto done;
@@ -864,9 +873,19 @@ static irqreturn_t i2c_dw_isr(int this_irq, void *dev_id)
 	 */
 
 tx_aborted:
-	if ((stat & (DW_IC_INTR_TX_ABRT | DW_IC_INTR_STOP_DET)) || dev->msg_err)
+	if ((stat & (DW_IC_INTR_TX_ABRT | DW_IC_INTR_STOP_DET))
+			|| dev->msg_err) {
+		/*
+		 * We must disable interruts before returning and signaling
+		 * the end of the current transfer. Otherwise the hardware
+		 * might continue generating interrupts for non-existent
+		 * transfers.
+		 */
+		i2c_dw_disable_int(dev);
+		dw_readl(dev, DW_IC_CLR_INTR);
+
 		complete(&dev->cmd_complete);
-	else if (unlikely(dev->accessor_flags & ACCESS_INTR_MASK)) {
+	} else if (unlikely(dev->accessor_flags & ACCESS_INTR_MASK)) {
 		/* workaround to trigger pending interrupt */
 		stat = dw_readl(dev, DW_IC_INTR_MASK);
 		i2c_dw_disable_int(dev);