diff --git a/drivers/soundwire/cadence_master.c b/drivers/soundwire/cadence_master.c
index a6635f7f350e..521387322145 100644
--- a/drivers/soundwire/cadence_master.c
+++ b/drivers/soundwire/cadence_master.c
@@ -555,6 +555,29 @@ cdns_fill_msg_resp(struct sdw_cdns *cdns,
 	return SDW_CMD_OK;
 }
 
+static void cdns_read_response(struct sdw_cdns *cdns)
+{
+	u32 num_resp, cmd_base;
+	int i;
+
+	/* RX_FIFO_AVAIL can be 2 entries more than the FIFO size */
+	BUILD_BUG_ON(ARRAY_SIZE(cdns->response_buf) < CDNS_MCP_CMD_LEN + 2);
+
+	num_resp = cdns_readl(cdns, CDNS_MCP_FIFOSTAT);
+	num_resp &= CDNS_MCP_RX_FIFO_AVAIL;
+	if (num_resp > ARRAY_SIZE(cdns->response_buf)) {
+		dev_warn(cdns->dev, "RX AVAIL %d too long\n", num_resp);
+		num_resp = ARRAY_SIZE(cdns->response_buf);
+	}
+
+	cmd_base = CDNS_MCP_CMD_BASE;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < num_resp; i++) {
+		cdns->response_buf[i] = cdns_readl(cdns, cmd_base);
+		cmd_base += CDNS_MCP_CMD_WORD_LEN;
+	}
+}
+
 static enum sdw_command_response
 _cdns_xfer_msg(struct sdw_cdns *cdns, struct sdw_msg *msg, int cmd,
 	       int offset, int count, bool defer)
@@ -596,6 +619,10 @@ _cdns_xfer_msg(struct sdw_cdns *cdns, struct sdw_msg *msg, int cmd,
 		dev_err(cdns->dev, "IO transfer timed out, cmd %d device %d addr %x len %d\n",
 			cmd, msg->dev_num, msg->addr, msg->len);
 		msg->len = 0;
+
+		/* Drain anything in the RX_FIFO */
+		cdns_read_response(cdns);
+
 		return SDW_CMD_TIMEOUT;
 	}
 
@@ -769,29 +796,6 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(cdns_read_ping_status);
  * IRQ handling
  */
 
-static void cdns_read_response(struct sdw_cdns *cdns)
-{
-	u32 num_resp, cmd_base;
-	int i;
-
-	/* RX_FIFO_AVAIL can be 2 entries more than the FIFO size */
-	BUILD_BUG_ON(ARRAY_SIZE(cdns->response_buf) < CDNS_MCP_CMD_LEN + 2);
-
-	num_resp = cdns_readl(cdns, CDNS_MCP_FIFOSTAT);
-	num_resp &= CDNS_MCP_RX_FIFO_AVAIL;
-	if (num_resp > ARRAY_SIZE(cdns->response_buf)) {
-		dev_warn(cdns->dev, "RX AVAIL %d too long\n", num_resp);
-		num_resp = ARRAY_SIZE(cdns->response_buf);
-	}
-
-	cmd_base = CDNS_MCP_CMD_BASE;
-
-	for (i = 0; i < num_resp; i++) {
-		cdns->response_buf[i] = cdns_readl(cdns, cmd_base);
-		cmd_base += CDNS_MCP_CMD_WORD_LEN;
-	}
-}
-
 static int cdns_update_slave_status(struct sdw_cdns *cdns,
 				    u64 slave_intstat)
 {