diff --git a/drivers/serial/timbuart.c b/drivers/serial/timbuart.c
index 62f389fdc2a3..67ca642713b8 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/timbuart.c
+++ b/drivers/serial/timbuart.c
@@ -68,12 +68,22 @@ static void timbuart_start_tx(struct uart_port *port)
 	tasklet_schedule(&uart->tasklet);
 }
 
+static unsigned int timbuart_tx_empty(struct uart_port *port)
+{
+	u32 isr = ioread32(port->membase + TIMBUART_ISR);
+
+	return (isr & TXBE) ? TIOCSER_TEMT : 0;
+}
+
 static void timbuart_flush_buffer(struct uart_port *port)
 {
-	u8 ctl = ioread8(port->membase + TIMBUART_CTRL) | TIMBUART_CTRL_FLSHTX;
+	if (!timbuart_tx_empty(port)) {
+		u8 ctl = ioread8(port->membase + TIMBUART_CTRL) |
+			TIMBUART_CTRL_FLSHTX;
 
-	iowrite8(ctl, port->membase + TIMBUART_CTRL);
-	iowrite32(TXBF, port->membase + TIMBUART_ISR);
+		iowrite8(ctl, port->membase + TIMBUART_CTRL);
+		iowrite32(TXBF, port->membase + TIMBUART_ISR);
+	}
 }
 
 static void timbuart_rx_chars(struct uart_port *port)
@@ -195,13 +205,6 @@ void timbuart_tasklet(unsigned long arg)
 	dev_dbg(uart->port.dev, "%s leaving\n", __func__);
 }
 
-static unsigned int timbuart_tx_empty(struct uart_port *port)
-{
-	u32 isr = ioread32(port->membase + TIMBUART_ISR);
-
-	return (isr & TXBE) ? TIOCSER_TEMT : 0;
-}
-
 static unsigned int timbuart_get_mctrl(struct uart_port *port)
 {
 	u8 cts = ioread8(port->membase + TIMBUART_CTRL);