diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/atmel_serial.c b/drivers/tty/serial/atmel_serial.c
index 55ca3416113f..0b4f36905321 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/atmel_serial.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/atmel_serial.c
@@ -166,6 +166,8 @@ struct atmel_uart_port {
 	unsigned int		pending_status;
 	spinlock_t		lock_suspended;
 
+	bool			hd_start_rx;	/* can start RX during half-duplex operation */
+
 	/* ISO7816 */
 	unsigned int		fidi_min;
 	unsigned int		fidi_max;
@@ -933,8 +935,13 @@ static void atmel_complete_tx_dma(void *arg)
 	if (!uart_circ_empty(xmit))
 		atmel_tasklet_schedule(atmel_port, &atmel_port->tasklet_tx);
 	else if (atmel_uart_is_half_duplex(port)) {
-		/* DMA done, stop TX, start RX for RS485 */
-		atmel_start_rx(port);
+		/*
+		 * DMA done, re-enable TXEMPTY and signal that we can stop
+		 * TX and start RX for RS485
+		 */
+		atmel_port->hd_start_rx = true;
+		atmel_uart_writel(port, ATMEL_US_IER,
+				  atmel_port->tx_done_mask);
 	}
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&port->lock, flags);
@@ -1382,9 +1389,20 @@ atmel_handle_transmit(struct uart_port *port, unsigned int pending)
 	struct atmel_uart_port *atmel_port = to_atmel_uart_port(port);
 
 	if (pending & atmel_port->tx_done_mask) {
-		/* Either PDC or interrupt transmission */
 		atmel_uart_writel(port, ATMEL_US_IDR,
 				  atmel_port->tx_done_mask);
+
+		/* Start RX if flag was set and FIFO is empty */
+		if (atmel_port->hd_start_rx) {
+			if (!(atmel_uart_readl(port, ATMEL_US_CSR)
+					& ATMEL_US_TXEMPTY))
+				dev_warn(port->dev, "Should start RX, but TX fifo is not empty\n");
+
+			atmel_port->hd_start_rx = false;
+			atmel_start_rx(port);
+			return;
+		}
+
 		atmel_tasklet_schedule(atmel_port, &atmel_port->tasklet_tx);
 	}
 }