diff --git a/drivers/dma/mmp_tdma.c b/drivers/dma/mmp_tdma.c
index 2e318558c644..42f8b2fb7684 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/mmp_tdma.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/mmp_tdma.c
@@ -427,6 +427,11 @@ static struct dma_async_tx_descriptor *mmp_tdma_prep_dma_cyclic(
 	int num_periods = buf_len / period_len;
 	int i = 0, buf = 0;
 
+	if (!is_slave_direction(direction)) {
+		dev_err(tdmac->dev, "unsupported transfer direction\n");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	if (tdmac->status != DMA_COMPLETE) {
 		dev_err(tdmac->dev, "controller busy");
 		return NULL;