diff --git a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-at91.c b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-at91.c
index 636fd2e..4d78708 100644
--- a/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-at91.c
+++ b/drivers/i2c/busses/i2c-at91.c
@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@ static int at91_do_twi_transfer(struct at91_twi_dev *dev)
 {
 	int ret;
 	bool has_unre_flag = dev->pdata->has_unre_flag;
+	bool timed_out = false;
 
 	dev_dbg(dev->dev, "transfer: %s %d bytes.\n",
 		(dev->msg->flags & I2C_M_RD) ? "read" : "write", dev->buf_len);
@@ -440,7 +441,7 @@ static int at91_do_twi_transfer(struct at91_twi_dev *dev)
 					     dev->adapter.timeout);
 	if (ret == 0) {
 		dev_err(dev->dev, "controller timed out\n");
-		at91_init_twi_bus(dev);
+		timed_out = true;
 		ret = -ETIMEDOUT;
 		goto error;
 	}
@@ -471,6 +472,11 @@ static int at91_do_twi_transfer(struct at91_twi_dev *dev)
 
 error:
 	at91_twi_dma_cleanup(dev);
+	if (timed_out) {
+		at91_twi_irq_save(dev);
+		at91_init_twi_bus(dev);
+		at91_twi_irq_restore(dev);
+	}
 	return ret;
 }