diff --git a/drivers/tty/serial/msm_serial.c b/drivers/tty/serial/msm_serial.c
index 19e897dad5fe..60a9c53fa7cb 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/serial/msm_serial.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/serial/msm_serial.c
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ static void msm_start_rx_dma(struct msm_port *msm_port)
 				   UARTDM_RX_SIZE, dma->dir);
 	ret = dma_mapping_error(uart->dev, dma->phys);
 	if (ret)
-		return;
+		goto sw_mode;
 
 	dma->desc = dmaengine_prep_slave_single(dma->chan, dma->phys,
 						UARTDM_RX_SIZE, DMA_DEV_TO_MEM,
@@ -657,6 +657,22 @@ static void msm_start_rx_dma(struct msm_port *msm_port)
 	return;
 unmap:
 	dma_unmap_single(uart->dev, dma->phys, UARTDM_RX_SIZE, dma->dir);
+
+sw_mode:
+	/*
+	 * Switch from DMA to SW/FIFO mode. After clearing Rx BAM (UARTDM_DMEN),
+	 * receiver must be reset.
+	 */
+	msm_write(uart, UART_CR_CMD_RESET_RX, UART_CR);
+	msm_write(uart, UART_CR_RX_ENABLE, UART_CR);
+
+	msm_write(uart, UART_CR_CMD_RESET_STALE_INT, UART_CR);
+	msm_write(uart, 0xFFFFFF, UARTDM_DMRX);
+	msm_write(uart, UART_CR_CMD_STALE_EVENT_ENABLE, UART_CR);
+
+	/* Re-enable RX interrupts */
+	msm_port->imr |= (UART_IMR_RXLEV | UART_IMR_RXSTALE);
+	msm_write(uart, msm_port->imr, UART_IMR);
 }
 
 static void msm_stop_rx(struct uart_port *port)