diff --git a/drivers/dma/imx-sdma.c b/drivers/dma/imx-sdma.c
index 900cafdaf3594..f37a276f519e6 100644
--- a/drivers/dma/imx-sdma.c
+++ b/drivers/dma/imx-sdma.c
@@ -891,7 +891,7 @@ static void sdma_update_channel_loop(struct sdma_channel *sdmac)
 	 * SDMA stops cyclic channel when DMA request triggers a channel and no SDMA
 	 * owned buffer is available (i.e. BD_DONE was set too late).
 	 */
-	if (!is_sdma_channel_enabled(sdmac->sdma, sdmac->channel)) {
+	if (sdmac->desc && !is_sdma_channel_enabled(sdmac->sdma, sdmac->channel)) {
 		dev_warn(sdmac->sdma->dev, "restart cyclic channel %d\n", sdmac->channel);
 		sdma_enable_channel(sdmac->sdma, sdmac->channel);
 	}