diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-common.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-common.c
index 35f762872b8a..58562700c85e 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-common.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-common.c
@@ -441,6 +441,7 @@ err_release_lock:
 
 void __i2c_dw_disable(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 {
+	struct i2c_timings *t = &dev->timings;
 	unsigned int raw_intr_stats;
 	unsigned int enable;
 	int timeout = 100;
@@ -453,6 +454,19 @@ void __i2c_dw_disable(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 
 	abort_needed = raw_intr_stats & DW_IC_INTR_MST_ON_HOLD;
 	if (abort_needed) {
+		if (!(enable & DW_IC_ENABLE_ENABLE)) {
+			regmap_write(dev->map, DW_IC_ENABLE, DW_IC_ENABLE_ENABLE);
+			/*
+			 * Wait 10 times the signaling period of the highest I2C
+			 * transfer supported by the driver (for 400KHz this is
+			 * 25us) to ensure the I2C ENABLE bit is already set
+			 * as described in the DesignWare I2C databook.
+			 */
+			fsleep(DIV_ROUND_CLOSEST_ULL(10 * MICRO, t->bus_freq_hz));
+			/* Set ENABLE bit before setting ABORT */
+			enable |= DW_IC_ENABLE_ENABLE;
+		}
+
 		regmap_write(dev->map, DW_IC_ENABLE, enable | DW_IC_ENABLE_ABORT);
 		ret = regmap_read_poll_timeout(dev->map, DW_IC_ENABLE, enable,
 					       !(enable & DW_IC_ENABLE_ABORT), 10,
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
index ae835000fd32..99d8c6bbc032 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-core.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@
 						 DW_IC_INTR_RX_UNDER | \
 						 DW_IC_INTR_RD_REQ)
 
+#define DW_IC_ENABLE_ENABLE			BIT(0)
 #define DW_IC_ENABLE_ABORT			BIT(1)
 
 #define DW_IC_STATUS_ACTIVITY			BIT(0)
diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
index 85dbd0eb5392..579c668cb78a 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-designware-master.c
@@ -253,6 +253,34 @@ static void i2c_dw_xfer_init(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 	regmap_write(dev->map, DW_IC_INTR_MASK, DW_IC_INTR_MASTER_MASK);
 }
 
+/*
+ * This function waits for the controller to be idle before disabling I2C
+ * When the controller is not in the IDLE state, the MST_ACTIVITY bit
+ * (IC_STATUS[5]) is set.
+ *
+ * Values:
+ * 0x1 (ACTIVE): Controller not idle
+ * 0x0 (IDLE): Controller is idle
+ *
+ * The function is called after completing the current transfer.
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ * False when the controller is in the IDLE state.
+ * True when the controller is in the ACTIVE state.
+ */
+static bool i2c_dw_is_controller_active(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
+{
+	u32 status;
+
+	regmap_read(dev->map, DW_IC_STATUS, &status);
+	if (!(status & DW_IC_STATUS_MASTER_ACTIVITY))
+		return false;
+
+	return regmap_read_poll_timeout(dev->map, DW_IC_STATUS, status,
+				       !(status & DW_IC_STATUS_MASTER_ACTIVITY),
+				       1100, 20000) != 0;
+}
+
 static int i2c_dw_check_stopbit(struct dw_i2c_dev *dev)
 {
 	u32 val;
@@ -694,6 +722,16 @@ i2c_dw_xfer(struct i2c_adapter *adap, struct i2c_msg msgs[], int num)
 		goto done;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * This happens rarely (~1:500) and is hard to reproduce. Debug trace
+	 * showed that IC_STATUS had value of 0x23 when STOP_DET occurred,
+	 * if disable IC_ENABLE.ENABLE immediately that can result in
+	 * IC_RAW_INTR_STAT.MASTER_ON_HOLD holding SCL low. Check if
+	 * controller is still ACTIVE before disabling I2C.
+	 */
+	if (i2c_dw_is_controller_active(dev))
+		dev_err(dev->dev, "controller active\n");
+
 	/*
 	 * We must disable the adapter before returning and signaling the end
 	 * of the current transfer. Otherwise the hardware might continue