diff --git a/drivers/misc/mei/bus.c b/drivers/misc/mei/bus.c
index 1f33fea9299f..63411ddfb83d 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/mei/bus.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/mei/bus.c
@@ -126,7 +126,8 @@ ssize_t __mei_cl_recv(struct mei_cl *cl, u8 *buf, size_t length)
 		goto out;
 
 	/* wait on event only if there is no other waiter */
-	if (list_empty(&cl->rd_completed) && !waitqueue_active(&cl->rx_wait)) {
+	/* synchronized under device mutex */
+	if (!waitqueue_active(&cl->rx_wait)) {
 
 		mutex_unlock(&bus->device_lock);
 
diff --git a/drivers/misc/mei/main.c b/drivers/misc/mei/main.c
index a8d0471f817f..3326bde7fba1 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/mei/main.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/mei/main.c
@@ -183,7 +183,8 @@ static ssize_t mei_read(struct file *file, char __user *ubuf,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	if (list_empty(&cl->rd_completed) && !waitqueue_active(&cl->rx_wait)) {
+	/* synchronized under device mutex */
+	if (!waitqueue_active(&cl->rx_wait)) {
 		if (file->f_flags & O_NONBLOCK) {
 			rets = -EAGAIN;
 			goto out;