diff --git a/drivers/mmc/host/mmci.c b/drivers/mmc/host/mmci.c
index 267f88d9daec..a3713e9a0ef4 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/host/mmci.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/host/mmci.c
@@ -654,6 +654,23 @@ static u32 ux500v2_get_dctrl_cfg(struct mmci_host *host)
 	return MCI_DPSM_ENABLE | (host->data->blksz << 16);
 }
 
+/*
+ * ux500_busy_complete() - this will wait until the busy status
+ * goes off, saving any status that occur in the meantime into
+ * host->busy_status until we know the card is not busy any more.
+ * The function returns true when the busy detection is ended
+ * and we should continue processing the command.
+ *
+ * The Ux500 typically fires two IRQs over a busy cycle like this:
+ *
+ *  DAT0 busy          +-----------------+
+ *                     |                 |
+ *  DAT0 not busy  ----+                 +--------
+ *
+ *                     ^                 ^
+ *                     |                 |
+ *                    IRQ1              IRQ2
+ */
 static bool ux500_busy_complete(struct mmci_host *host, u32 status, u32 err_msk)
 {
 	void __iomem *base = host->base;
@@ -671,14 +688,16 @@ static bool ux500_busy_complete(struct mmci_host *host, u32 status, u32 err_msk)
 	 * while, to allow it to be set, but tests indicates that it
 	 * isn't needed.
 	 */
-	if (!host->busy_status && !(status & err_msk) &&
-	    (readl(base + MMCISTATUS) & host->variant->busy_detect_flag)) {
-		writel(readl(base + MMCIMASK0) |
-		       host->variant->busy_detect_mask,
-		       base + MMCIMASK0);
+	if (!host->busy_status && !(status & err_msk)) {
+		status = readl(base + MMCISTATUS);
+		if (status & host->variant->busy_detect_flag) {
+			writel(readl(base + MMCIMASK0) |
+			       host->variant->busy_detect_mask,
+			       base + MMCIMASK0);
 
-		host->busy_status = status & (MCI_CMDSENT | MCI_CMDRESPEND);
-		return false;
+			host->busy_status = status & (MCI_CMDSENT | MCI_CMDRESPEND);
+			return false;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/*