diff --git a/drivers/gpio/gpio-exar.c b/drivers/gpio/gpio-exar.c
index 5170fe7599cdf..d5909a4f0433c 100644
--- a/drivers/gpio/gpio-exar.c
+++ b/drivers/gpio/gpio-exar.c
@@ -99,11 +99,13 @@ static void exar_set_value(struct gpio_chip *chip, unsigned int offset,
 	struct exar_gpio_chip *exar_gpio = gpiochip_get_data(chip);
 	unsigned int addr = exar_offset_to_lvl_addr(exar_gpio, offset);
 	unsigned int bit = exar_offset_to_bit(exar_gpio, offset);
+	unsigned int bit_value = value ? BIT(bit) : 0;
 
-	if (value)
-		regmap_set_bits(exar_gpio->regmap, addr, BIT(bit));
-	else
-		regmap_clear_bits(exar_gpio->regmap, addr, BIT(bit));
+	/*
+	 * regmap_write_bits() forces value to be written when an external
+	 * pull up/down might otherwise indicate value was already set.
+	 */
+	regmap_write_bits(exar_gpio->regmap, addr, BIT(bit), bit_value);
 }
 
 static int exar_direction_output(struct gpio_chip *chip, unsigned int offset,